


To Change Everything

by RedFeather2044



Category: Naruto
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-29
Updated: 2020-01-04
Packaged: 2020-02-10 00:06:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 27,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18648889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedFeather2044/pseuds/RedFeather2044
Summary: !ABANDONED FIC! Naruto lost the war and everyone he cared about. Kurama has the perfect solution in the form of Time Travel. Naruto agrees and they go back to the beginning to hopefully save everyone and change the future. Big time. Who cares about the consequences?/ Time Travel/Gen/HumorFic





	1. The End & The Beginning

**Rating:** PG-13.

**Warnings:** Swearing.

**Word Count:** 1,201

**Edit:** 6/21/19 - 1,913 - Lengthed, Fixed, added an Extra.

**Pairings:** None.

**Disclaimer:** I sadly do not own Naruto nor any characters from it.

**AN:** Random Updates. Please Read & Review. Enjoy the chapter.

* * *

 

Naruto blinked slowly, his brain felt a bit foggy from his recent unconscious state. He shook his head a bit and sluggishly let his eyes roam around. All he saw where the battered and still bleeding bodies of his dead comrades littered around him. It was a battlefield. It was all coming back to him now. The final battle with Kaguya and losing the last of his friends and comrades.

 

Now that his brain was pretty much fully kicked back in Naruto had registered that his body temperature was unnaturally cold and… wet? This prompted him to glance down at himself and see the blood that was pooling around his body. His blood.  _ I’m dying. _ That’s all he thought as blood trickled out of his mouth and slid down his chin. 

 

Well, it was going to happen to him sooner or later and he accepted it. So, he tore his eyes away from his wounds and looked up at the sky. It was black, all shadows and darkness. It had been that way ever since  _ she _ was revived. 

 

Everyone had tried to stop her but they just weren’t enough. The Five Great Nations  _ wasn’t enough. _ Naruto and Sasuke got their power boosts and were seconds away from killing Madara but they weren’t quick enough. Zetsu released the seal and Kaguya was revived. The shinobi that were left retreated, but with every battle, their numbers dwindled until you could count everyone left on one hand.

 

He and Sasuke had grown stronger with each battle but so did she. They could never get far enough ahead of her for it to matter. And after Sasuke was killed well… They knew they were finished at that point. 

 

Three years was how long it lasted,  _ three years _ against The Goddess. But at that point, Naruto was just fighting because he was supposed too, mostly all of his precious people were already dead. Though they are all dead now and Naruto soon would be too. Or at least that was how it was supposed to be.

 

The fox inside of him had other ideas. He had been with his host throughout it all and had helped him since the very beginning, even if it was for his own personal gain at first. But after the kit had accepted him and even went as far as saying that he’d carry all of his hatred… Well, Kurama couldn’t help but care. Naruto treated him the same way the Sage had and the boy reminded him very much of the old man. He wasn’t going to let his kit just die like that.

 

**‘Naruto, I know of a way we can fix this.’** Kurama had suddenly said.

 

Naruto would’ve laughed at that if he had the strength. ‘Fix what.? Everyone’s already  _ dead,  _ Kurama. There’s nothing left  _ to fix. _ ’ he choked out.

 

**‘In this time, yes, but we can go** **_back_ ** **. We can make it so this never happened and save everyone. We can kill Zetsu before he starts.’** The fox growled out and Naruto could feel the beast’s intense gaze on him.

 

Naruto thought about it and decided that if he could stop this, save all of his precious people, then he’d do whatever Kurama needed him to do for this to work.

 

‘Okay, Kyuu I’m in. What do we have to do?’

 

**‘First off, Don’t call me that brat,’ he growled lowly then continued.**

 

**‘Now, what we are going to do is activate my Time Travel Jutsu. Since we have both of my halves, pieces of the other eight Biju’s chakra, and your chakra, we’ll have enough for the journey.’** The fox showed a grin that was all teeth and continued, **‘And this jutsu will allow us to keep all of our current power when we merge with our past selves So… where do you want to start, kit?’** Kurama questioned with an evil smirk. He could just imagine sinking his teeth into Zetsu and ripping him apart.  _ Slowly. _

 

Naruto’s expression mirrored the Kyuubi’s perfectly, ‘Oh please Kyuu, you know exactly where to start.’

 

**Kurama chuckled, ‘Ahh of course. Let’s go back to the beginning then, Naruto** **_.’_ **

 

Then their world went black.

* * *

 

Naruto opened his eyes and had to blink a few times to get reoriented after being unconscious. Again. He didn’t even have to ask the fuzzball if it worked because of who he saw holding him. Someone he never thought he’d see again until he died and passed on.  It was his mom. His  _ mom _ who was holding him. His mom was  _ alive _ and  _ holding him.  _ His mind was officially blown. Kurama had done it, he sent them back to the literal beginning of his life.

 

Naruto can save all of his friends and family now, his parents included. He can make sure that his future never happens. His train of thought was abruptly cut off by someone appearing in the middle of the room they were in. 

 

Now that he was looking it appeared they were in a shack. He recognized this place from his parents’ memories. He also recognized the person. The man approached the bed that he and his now sleeping mother were located on, and it was like Naruto had looked into a mirror(if he was his actual age that is). It was his  _ Dad  _ who picked him up off the bed. The Yondaime, Konoha’s Yellow Flash, The Hokage... out of all of his titles the only one Naruto was thinking of was  _ Father _ . The one only a select few people knew.

 

“Naruto, my son, I’m sorry to place this burden on you but I know you’ll be able to do this,” Minato whispered sadly to his son while holding him close.

 

The next thing Naruto knew was that he was in a clearing and  _ oh _ . His dad was about to seal Kurama into him. Fuck. He has to figure out a way to stop this or his Dad is going to die. 

 

Baby Naruto looks around and spots Kurama staring at them - him really - and then the fox winked at him. Very noticeably he might add. If he was in his older body he would’ve put his head in his hands.  _ Oh great, Kurama has an idea. His ideas are terrible.  _ Naruto suddenly pity's the shinobi on the battlefield.

* * *

 

“Why isn’t the fox attacking anymore Sarutobi-san?” Minato asks as he walks over to the Sandiame. He already scanned the battlefield and could tell that it’s been at a standstill for several minutes.

 

“We aren’t sure Minato, he suddenly stopped attacking shortly after you left to get Naruto... Did it just wink at us?” The Sandiame said, the confusion evident in his voice.

 

Minato had wisely chosen to ignore that.

 

Any further conversation was cut off when the Kyuubi started  _ talking _ to them. Although it was more like yelling with that voice of his.

 

**“Fourth Hokage, are you going to just stand there like a fool or actually use that brain of yours to seal me already?”** Kurama growled with an annoyed huff and brought one of his paws up to casually lick. He cast bored looking eyes over the Shinobi on the battlefield and then eventually settled on the Yondaime again.

 

Everyone on the battleground just stared at the fox in utter shock and confusion. The nine-tailed demon fox had just spoken to them. Spoken to them about being sealed like the thing was fine with it and wanted them to hurry up and just get it over with. The question was why did it want that.

 

Minato just shrugged and was about to start the only sealing technique he knew to seal the fox away. But before he could even move the fox suddenly snapped it’s furry fingers like it remembered something important.

 

**“Oh right, if you or that bag of bones next to you attempt to use the Reaper Death Seal to do it,’** he paused and licked one of his claws,  **“I'll kill you before you can even start.”** he finished off with a gleam of promise in his eyes.

 

Minato and Sarutobi blanched at the Kyuubi’s threat because that’s exactly what one of them was going to do. They glanced at each other nervously before the blond turned and looked back at the fox.

 

**“But I don’t know of any other seal that can contain you…”** Minato nervously told him and wondered how this even happened and was he really holding a  _ conversation _ with the nine-tails?

 

Kurama shook his head in mock graveness. **“I see. Well, you never did master seals, did you? Hm..”** Then he sneered and tilted his head in a… thinking motion, moving to sit on his hind legs. His nine tails swishing behind him.

 

Minato thought he had seen Naruto roll his eyes but knew that couldn’t be possible so he turned his attention back to the fox. Just in time to catch the wide grin on the fox's face.

 

**“Well, I suppose that…** **_I could do it._ ** **”**  The Kyuubi laughed while it made hand - paw? - seals faster than Minato could follow and before he could react the fox brought his claws down in his direction and before he could even so much as twitch they stopped right before contact was made. With him that is.

 

Before Minato could breathe a sigh of relief he realized what the demon had just said. It was too late though and the fox’s claw connected with Naruto’s stomach. Before he could even think that his son was dead he heard laughter. Naruto was giggling at the claw that was lightly touching his stomach. He even reached out and put his tiny little hand on the tip of the claw. Then the fox suddenly barked at him to put his son down and he didn’t know why but he did.

 

Minato stepped back after putting Naruto down and watched as the Kyuubi was sucked into him. Almost everyone that hadn’t passed out did after that. Even he couldn’t comprehend what just happened until Kakashi walked over to where he and the Sandiame were standing and broke the silence.

 

“Uh, did the nine-tailed  _ demon fox _ just seal himself into Naruto  _ on its own? _ ” He looked over and saw Kakashi staring at Naruto in awe.

 

“I think I need to get to Kushina.” Minato hurried and grabbed Naruto and  _ hiraishined _ away.

 

The Sandiame stared at the spot that his successor was just in and sighed heavily while rubbing his face. He turned around sharply and started heading toward his home. “I think I need a drink.”

* * *

 

_ -Extra: Kushina’s Wrath- _

“I’m sorry honey, I don’t think I heard you right,” the redhead chuckled darkly, “can you please repeat that?”

 

Minato sweatdropped and nervously wrung his hands. “Well uhhh I might’ve almost used the reaper death seal,” Kushina’s fake grin got larger and it made him jump, “and the nine-tails might’ve stopped me and then used its own seal to uh fusewithNaruto.” he bit out the last part so fast it jumbled together.

 

Kushina still caught it though and got up off the couch and approached her husband after laying her little Naruto in his crib.

 

“So, what I’m hearing is that you sealed a tailed beast - the one that was in me - into my son, correct?” She cracked her knuckles and her hair started rising.

 

“Yeah, I’m just gonna…” And he hirashined away before the shit hit the fan but even he knew that he couldn’t escape from his wife’s wrath forever.

 

_ “MINATO!” _

* * *

 


	2. The Plan

**Rating:** PG-13.

**Warnings:** Swearing. Major Biju fluffiness.

**Word Count:** 2,523

**Edit:** 6/22/19 - 4,489 - Lengthened, Edited, Added Extra.

**Pairings:** None.

**Disclaimer:** I sadly do not own Naruto nor any characters from it.

**AN:** Random Updates. Please Read & Review. Enjoy the chapter.

* * *

**_-_ ** _ 3 years late _ **_r-_ **

 

After Minato brought Naruto back to the shack, shit went down. His mother flipped out when she found out that her precious ‘Naru-chan’ had to take up her burden and as a  _ newborn _ for kami’s sake. Then she flipped out again after Minato told her he almost used the reaper death seal, which would have resulted in him dying. 

 

Naruto had watched the entire thing from his crib with a straight face, but he and Kurama were dying with laughter on the inside. His mom was awesome.

 

He was glad that he was able to save his parents and be raised by them this time around. It also helped that he had the mental age of a nineteen-year-old so he never cried or had tantrums. But he was careful not to seem too advanced so his parents didn’t think he was ‘possessed by the demon fox.’ Wasn’t that a hilarious thought.

 

Though he still got the feeling that his parents worried since he never acted like an actual baby but oh well. There was no way he was to reduce himself to a weak sniveling toddler.

 

After Kurama brought them back and then used some sealing technique that he saw Mito Uzumaki use he depleted a lot of his chakra. So, he had been sleeping for the past three years now. And if Naruto was being completely honest he was majorly bored, not really that much to do as a toddler. He wanted the bastard fox to wake up already and entertain him. Or at least suffer in boredom with him.

 

**“Careful what you wish for, brat,”** Kurama grumbled groggily and yawned widely.

 

Naruto looked around and saw that he was in his mindscape, although it looked a lot like the forests outside of Konoha instead of a sewer. He could tell that they were standing in a clearing surrounded by trees and a river off to the side. It actually looked a lot like training ground seven… 

 

“Why does my mind look like this?” He questioned, his eyes roaming the new site.

 

**“Well, I tweaked the seal so** **_I’d_ ** **be the one in control of our surroundings. Like hell, I was gonna spend another nineteen years inside the disgusting sewer that you call a mind.”**

 

“I’m so sorry to have inconvenienced you like that Kyuubi-sama.” Naruto deadpanned and then mock bowed.

 

**“Hmph.”** Kurama huffed at the boy’s sarcastic tone.

 

They locked eyes and burst into laughter at the familiar banter. It was good to talk with Kurama again. He was like a brother/father figure in Naruto’s eyes and it had been lonely without the giant furball in his life.

 

He was pulled out of his thoughts by an audible sounding poof and then he was staring at a man with blood red waist-length hair and golden eyes, right where the large fox was a second ago. He felt his mouth drop open and he continued to stare.

 

**“You have a really stupid look on your face right now, kit.”** the man -fox?- laughed.

 

“K-Kurama!? How a-are you t-this!?” he sputtered out while gesturing wildly with his hands.

 

The ma-Kurama frowned and crossed his arms,  **“Didn’t I explain what else the jutsu was going to do?”**

 

Naruto shook his head dumbly and then the Kyuubi sighed and sat down then gestured for him to do the same. To which he did.

 

**“Right well, it brought us back and we merged with our past selves. Our souls came out on top since we are obviously stronger and we absorbed the past ones. Which means we gained their strength. Not much for you since you were just a kit but for me… it doubled my power.”** Though he was still stuck sleeping because of how much his body had to absorb. It sucked.

 

**“That’s one thing it did but it also gave us both the ability to have two forms.”** Now, this got Naruto’s attention and he leaned forward with interest, **“You can still use your nineteen-year-old body and I was able to choose a second form. So if you summon me with the fox summoning contract I can appear as a fox or as a human.”** Kurama concluded easily as if this wasn’t something majorly important to know.

 

“Ohhhh, so that explains why I'm in my older body now, right? Kurama nodded. This was still the kit’s mindscape and he was used to being in his actual body so he had automatically taken that form.

 

Kurama snapped his fingers and two wooden chairs appeared.  **“Okay now since that’s over with, we need to start planning for the future, kit.”** He gestured for the boy to sit as he had done.

 

“Yeah, we do.” the blond agreed and crossed his arms while tilting his head, leaning back a bit in his chair.

 

**“Hn, now let’s start the hit-list and kill some bastards,”** Kurama said with the utmost innocence in his voice.

 

Naruto was about to shake his head and agree, “Ye-wha-NO!” He leaned forward to slap the fox’s arm and retreated before he could get hit, ‘We need to start a list of the events of our timeline that need to be changed, idiot.” He sighed.

 

Kurama huffed and rolled his eyes,  **“Hmph. It’s all the same in my opinion.”**

 

Naruto sighed, “Let's just get started on the list, fuzzy,” Yeah that caused a growl which he ignored, “Now, I think the first thing that’s coming up is the Hyuga kidnapping thing where Neji’s dad died. That one we are definitely interfering in. I’m not dealing with that stuck up fake, prissy, asshole like Neji.” Naruto wrinkled his nose in distaste.

 

His Neji took forever to get over his status in the clan and his ‘cursed fate’ or ‘destiny’ or… well, whatever. Naruto would've given anything to prevent his friend from having that kind back then so now that he had the chance he was going to do it. 

 

“ **It wasn’t a fake, that was the actual Neji, kit.”** the fox pointed out helpfully and was ignored.

 

“Then there’s the Uchiha Massacre where ‘Tachi ‘kills’ his whole clan.” Kurama honestly can’t understand why Naruto was air quoting that when the brat actually did it. “We  _ have _ to stop that one-”

 

“ **Can’t we just leave them to die? or at least let me rip out their eyes? Maim them a bit?”** Kurama practically pouted and had given his host puppy dog eyes.

 

Once again Naruto just disregarded the beast, “And save Shisui before Danzo gets to him. I don’t think I ever met Shisui... and also do something about Orochimaru too. He has yet to defect from the village since my Dad is still the Hokage.”

 

**“Ah, Therapy no Jutsu em’ right.?”** the fox chuckled and seemed to get a nostalgic look on his face.

 

The blond sighed heavily and shot the fox a glare, “I already told you that’s  _ not _ a thing.”

 

“ **Mm right. So Zabuza, Neji, Gaara,”** the fox kept putting down fingers and Naruto just glared harder, “ **Tsunade, Sai, Nagato, Obito, Sasuke, and** **_I_ ** **just happened to come to your side after you ‘talked’ to us.** **_Right._ ** **”**

 

“ _ It’s not a thing Kurama!” _

 

**“It’s okay Naruto. That tree bastard and Sage’s son had it too. Actually, I think he was the one who converted Orochimaru last time… Hope your Therapy no Jutsu is strong enough for that snake.”** the redhead snickered.

 

Naruto crossed his arms and frowned. “Fine. Whatever. Anyways, I’ll ‘Therapy no Jutsu’ Danzo and Orochimaru and if I do it early enough maybe I can stop hebi-teme from leaving the village and Danzo from ordering the Massacre. What else?”

 

**“Well I’m sure since you are a disgustingly nice person that you’d want to save everyone you possibly could…,”** Kurama ignored the glare Naruto shot him, “ **That leaves Sai, the Jinjuuriki, Yahiko, and Tsunade since Jiraiya didn’t leave the village yet.”**

 

Naruto whined at the long list of which he was already forgetting, “God, I wish I could just write all of this down on a paper or something.” A paper and pencil poofed into his lap. “Hm okay so here’s the complete list in order, right?”

_ Important Events To Change: _

_ Warn The Biju _

_ Neji and Hinata _

_ Yahiko’s Death _

_ Shisui & Itachi _

_ Danzo, ROOT, Orochimaru _

_ Sai & Shin _

_ Gaara _

_ Uchiha Massacre _

_ Save Yagura _

Kurama looked at the list with a puzzled expression on his face.  **“That list seems much too short to me, kit. Especially since it’s you we are talking about here.”** Naruto heard Kurama fake cough and mutter ‘Hero Complex’.

 

Naruto grinned sweetly, “Oh, this is just everything that needs to be changed before I become a genin silly.” Kurama paled a bit.

 

Satisfied with the reaction he asked again if he got everything.

 

**“Yeah, I think that’s it, kit. Good luck doing all that on your own.”** Immediately after he had said that he got a bad feeling. Then Naruto showed a fox-like grin with a little too much teeth which only made it worse.  _ I think I’m a bad influence on the kit… _

 

“Why it’s not just going to be me!” He laughed loudly and ‘playfully’ punched Kurama on his arm, “You’re helping too, Kyuu.”

 

**“Wha-”**

 

“Ah, and the list won’t be full proof since if we do a lot at the beginning it’ll change the timeline a bit but… Oh well, we’ll just wing it if that happens,” he waved his hand nonchalantly like he wasn’t just talking about changing the entire future.

 

Kurama just nodded nervously, knowing better than to talk to his host when he was like this.

 

“Well!” Naruto clapped his hands together and stood up, “I think we should just warn the Biju right now, can we still go to that plane thing?” He asked.

 

**“Yeah, and I'm sure it’ll be so much fun to see our siblings again,”** the fox says sarcastically with an eye roll.

 

Naruto knew Kurama was actually happy to go and see them since Kaguya absorbed them all fairly early in the war. He was much the same since they also practically adopted Naruto into the family and made him an Honorary Biju. It probably wasn’t that far from the truth either considering how much chakra he has on his own. And more so now that his baby body is absorbing more of Kurama’s chakra again and mixing with his own reserves. 

 

Damn was he going to have a lot more chakra by the time he reached his teenage years. Their chakra stopped merging around the beginning of the war and by that time he was up there with the tailed beasts reserves.

 

With a snap of Kurama’s fingers, he was in his fox form again and Naruto was perched on the top of his head. The Kyuubi looked at him like he was waiting for something and the blond guessed he was next so he snapped his fingers and they were gone.

* * *

 

Kurama looked at the room they were now in. A high tall ceiling and a marble white floor, the sides of the room seemingly endless. They were in the deepest part of the Biju mindscape. Their hosts could only reach it with their permission or if they accepted one another. While the tailed-beasts could come and go whenever they please.

 

**“Hey! You brats had better get out here!”** Kurama yelled with his ‘Big Brother’ voice to his younger siblings, his tails flicking impatiently behind him.

 

“ **You know you're only older by like ten seconds, fox, don’t think I’ll listen to you.”** Shukaku - The One-Tailed Tanuki - grumbled but still walked over to the Nine-tails.

 

**“Yet you’re following his orders right now Shu-chan.”** The tanuki sulked which the cat ignored, **“Hey Kurama-nii, Naru-chan.”** Matatabi - The Two-Tailed Cat - nodded at them while she chuckled and licked one of her paws. She was sitting next to Shukaku who pouted at the nickname his older sister took to calling him whenever she wanted to tease him.

 

Kurama almost smiled at seeing his little brother and sister again and got lost in his thoughts so he didn’t register Matatabi’s greeting to Naruto.

 

“ **This better be worth missing my nap Kurama-nii.”** Isobu grouched and changed into a smaller form and went over to relax into the fox’s fur, laying his body on one of his massive paws. Shukaku also moved so he was leaning against Kurama’s right with Matatabi doing the same on his left.

 

Kurama could just feel Naruto holding his laughter in at the ‘cute’ scene. If Kurama could blush he’d probably be doing it already. Before he could start yelling more steps sounded in the room and he looked up to see Son - The Four-Tailed Ape - and Kokuo - The Five-Tailed Whale-Horse - approaching them as well and sitting directly across from him. 

They both greeted him with a ‘Kurama-nii’ too then they resumed their wait for the rest of the group. He also saw Saiken - The Six-Tailed Slug - settle next to Shukaku. He had a sneaking suspicion about why they were all so willing to listen to him but before he could ask he heard the flutter of wings and prepared himself for the impact he knew was coming

 

**“Kurama-nii! Naruto!”** Chomei - The Seven-Tailed Rhino-Beetle - latched onto his head. Thankfully she remembered to switch to her smaller form before she did so. He shook his head in what he thought looked like aggravation, though his siblings could tell it was in fondness.

 

**“Kurama** - **nii. Naruto.”** He looked over to see Gyuki - The Eight-Tailed Octopus - nodding to him and walking to stand on Son’s right. He was a little surprised since Gyuki didn’t normally call him that… and he and Chomei addressed Naruto.

 

Kurama sighed and looked over all of his siblings before speaking, “ **You brats remember the war, don’t you?”**

 

They all looked at him with different levels of grief and nodded their heads in confirmation. Of all the things he didn’t want to happen.

 

He sighed, **“How?”**

 

Matatabi lifted her head from his shoulder and spoke,  **“We think it was because Naru had been carrying a small portion of all of our chakra when you guys made the jump to the past.”**

 

**“Yeah, we all came back around three years ago but you… weren’t here when we came.”** Isobu said quietly.

 

**“You dumb fox, shoulda let us know you were okay.”** Shukaku ‘hmphed’ and shifted a little closer and fixed him with a glare and whacked him with his tail. Kurama wisely chose to let it go.

 

He looked around at his gathered siblings and saw the same worry in them that was reflected in Matatabi, Shukaku, and Isobu. Kurama felt slightly guilty from what he must have caused them to think. 

 

During the war, they all made up and grew closer and closer every time one of them was consumed until there was only his presence in this big empty room. He also felt sad because they remembered losing their hosts _ and _ each other,  _ then _ to be thrown here and have Kurama missing. It’s his fault since he didn’t protect them. Oh, Sage, Naruto was rubbing off on him.

 

**“Stop thinking like that right now Kurama Uzumaki! I’m sure you couldn’t be here for a good reason. None of us blame you or Naruto.”** Kokuo chided and looked at her other siblings and saw them all nod in agreement and then she smacked Kurama with one of her tails.

 

(He hoped this wasn’t going to become a thing.)

 

Kurama flexed his now injured shoulder - Damn did his little sister hit hard... Shukaku at least held back, though that could also be because he only has one tail - and nodded slowly.  **“The war… well, it went to shit and we decided to use** **_that jutsu_ ** **to come back to the kit’s birthday. And then I had to seal myself into Naruto and my chakra was mostly gone so I needed to recover. I just woke up today actually.”** He finished.

**“Were you and Naruto… dying?”** Son asked hesitantly and the others also started at him waiting for the response.

 

“Yeah... me and Kurama were pretty fucked.” The others were a bit startled since the blond hadn’t spoken until now. Naruto either didn’t notice or didn’t care and continued, “But now we can change all of that and save  _ everyone. _ ” He slipped into his Kage voice at the last sentence and most of them straightened up.

 

**“Yes, that’s actually why we are here. Wait… since you remember do your hosts have the memories as well?”** Kurama questioned.

 

**“How would they? Naruto didn’t have their chakra when he made the jump, right?”** Gyuki asked, puzzled as to how Kurama would come to that seemingly random conclusion.

 

Kurama just looked at him in disbelief and sighed,  **“And this is why I’m the oldest, strongest, and most intelligent out of all of you children.”** Before they could even feel offended he distracted them with his second part, **“Don’t you remember the memory sharing jutsu we got from the Sage?”**

 

**“Ohhhhh he did give us something like that, didn’t he… huh. Then I should probably do that for Utakata.”** Saiken started from next to Son. The rest of his siblings just looked embarrassed for forgetting that.

 

The only human chuckled nervously, “Uh, Kurama… should they really do that for the younger hosts like Gaara and Fu? I know they weren’t around for much of the war but still. I don’t think their young minds can handle something like that.” After all, Gaara was only three or four and Fu was only around two years older than them. They were the three youngest. 

 

He as worried about the other younger members of their little club since it was Utakata and Yugito he was thinking about. Hell one of them was growing up in the  _ Hidden Mist _ and the other was apart of the  _ Hidden Cloud _ . He shuddered just thinking about it living in those crazy - for two entirely different reasons - villages.

 

**“Eh, it’ll be fine… probably.”** Son waved off the worries. Naruto looked around and saw  _ all  _ of the others do the same.  _ Kami help their hosts,  _ Naruto thought.

 

**“Anyways, what did you call us here for Kurama-nii?”** Chomei questioned him from atop his head. Ahhh, Kurama sure missed his other more childish sister although she was technically older than Matatabi who was one of the most mature.

 

**“Well, we came to explain about the future then give you a list of events and warn you about Akatsuki. This will be easier if we all shrink into our smallest forms.”**

 

After Kurama said that he and all of his siblings shifted so they were the size of squirrels or housecats depending upon their number of tails, skills, or just their simplest forms in general. 

 

Kurama waited for Naruto to sit and preceded to jump onto his head, with Matatabi perched on his left shoulder and Shukaku on his right. Chomei gravitated to the middle of Naruto’s lap, as did Isobu. Son and Saiken moved to his left leg while Gyuki and Kukou moved to Naruto’s right.

 

The blond cooed a bit at their collective cuteness and made it his mission to pamper each one of them with hugs and scratchies for a few minutes. Most of them tried to growl at him since they found it demeaning but he won out in the end and left them all purring at the attention. 

 

It was hard to get back on track but once Naruto showed that fox-like grin of his - Kurama’s - that looked slightly evil and chuckled lowly, “Now... shall we get started on fu- I mean changing the future?” They all snapped back into focus.

 

Shukaku cackled from his perch and grinned,  **“I sure did miss ya Naruto.”**

 

Kurama just shook his head until he saw all of his siblings somehow pulling off  _ his  _ evil grin. Sage help him… he really was a horrible influence.

* * *

 

_ -Extra: Memories Returned- _

_ -Somewhere in Kumo: Matatabi & Yugito Nii - 10- _

 

Matatabi had always been close with her container so she didn’t have the strained relationship most of her siblings had with their hosts right now. Especially since some of them haven’t exactly been the nicest to their… companions. But then some of them have only been recently sealed while she’s been with Yugito since the girl was two.

 

**“I need to show you something, kitten.”** The Two-Tails started and pulled the girl into their mindscape. She had just gotten back from her meeting with her siblings and wanted to just do the memory transfer now. Kurama had left it up to them to decide if they thought their hosts were ready.

 

Yugito might be young but she had been training to control her powers for eight years and that kind of training doesn’t paint the world in a very innocent picture. She knows very well how the world works. Kumo made sure of that.

 

“Yeah, Mata?” The blonde looked up at her surrogate mother with curiosity and affection shining in her big doe brown eyes.

 

Matatabi snapped her fingers and caught the young girl before she hit the ground. The cat hoped she wasn’t making a huge mistake and started pacing next to her carrier. Maybe she should’ve eased her into it…

 

Five minutes later Yugito lower body shot up of the ground with a gasp and she glared at her mother. Matatabi closed her eyes since she didn’t want to see the child's expression any longer and just waited for her to speak.

 

“Geesh, Mata! Warn me next time you go and do that, would ya?!” The blonde half-yelled and sighed. She then walked over and started petting the giant cat which seemed to surprise the beast.

 

**“So… you’re good?”**

 

Yugito smirked and started cracking her knuckles, “Oh, I’m more than good. So good in fact that I’m ready to kick some ass. Let’s get training!”

 

Matatabi let out a sigh of relieve and eagerly agreed.

* * *

 

_ -Somewhere on the outskirts of Iwa: Son Goku & Roshi - 27, Kukou & Han - 27- _

 

“So you’re saying the Gobi wants us to fist bump so we can enter a shared mindscape with it and the Yonbi?” Roshi scoffed the question out at his best - and only - friend Han.

 

Han sighed heavily, “Yes,  _ Kukou _ ,” he stressed his companion's name, “says it’s very important we both be there.” Que eye-roll from the redhead but he still sat next to his giant friend and pressed their fists together.

 

The first thing they heard was Son’s booming voice,  **“Wow Kou, your host really** **_does_ ** **like you.”**

 

Han blushed a bit - not that you could tell with all the armor - and Kukou smacked her brother over the head with her tails.

 

**“Ignore him. Now, we have something important to show both of you. Do you agree to see it?”** The beast asked them with the utmost seriousness in her voice.

 

Han looked at Roshi who just shrugged in response so he answered yes for both of them. The next thing they hear is a snap and there already passed out before they hit the ground.

 

**“You couldn’t have eased them into it Son?”** She sighed in exasperation and shook her head.

 

Son laughed,  **“Cool your tails, Koko. We’re only showing them the war it’s not like they are seeing their whole lives.”**

 

**“Whatever Yonbi.”** Now it was Son’s turn to be put out. He hated it when anyone referred to him by his number of tails. His name was much better after all.

 

Before they could really get into it their hosts awoke slowly.

 

Roshi spoke first, “Did you see what I just saw?”

 

“The war that levels the world?” Han raised an eyebrow in question.

 

“ _ Shit. _ ” Roshi states.

 

Han nods, “My thoughts exactly. Now unless you want to die you better learn how to communicate better with your partner Rosh’.” And with that, he and Kukou vanished from the shared space leaving him alone with the Yon- leaving him alone with Son.

 

He looks up and eyes the monkey before speaking, “...Truce?”

 

“Only if you call me by my title. Speel and all.” He smirked.

 

Roshi just rolled his eyes and figured he might as well since he could lose a lot more then his pride if he didn’t. The war was coming and he needed to be ready.

* * *

 

_ -Somewhere in Kiri: Saiken & Utakata - 10- _

 

“I can feel your distress Saiken. What is it?” Utakata asked the slug.

 

Even though he was told to ignore his demon he just couldn’t do it. It had never tried to harm him since it was sealed into him three years ago. It had actually been quite the friendly being and it even used bubbles in its techniques. All in all, he had been a great friend for Utakata and helped him a lot. So he needed to know what was troubling the gentle slug.

 

“Well… it might be easier if I just show you.” He started but stopped, sighed, and picked it up again, “Only if you want to though. It’s up to you, Utakata.” The boy thought for a moment.

 

Saiken wouldn’t show him anything unimportant and if it was worrying him this much it must be very important. He decided to just bite the bullet and agree.

 

When he next awoke he understood everything and was already packing up and getting ready to leave Kiri. He couldn’t stay here if he was to train to use Saiken’s powers. And the memories weren’t that far into the future meaning he only had... Well, it was actually an okay amount of time but that was beside the point.

 

Now he could either go to Konoha which he’d have to wait three years before or he could go to Kumo to learn. Yeaaah he’d wait the three years and just lay low. No way was he going to that batshit crazy place

 

(Says someone from the Mist)

* * *

 

_ -Somewhere in Kumo: Gyuki & Killer B - 23- _

 

Gyuki was fast and efficient in sharing the war memories with his host. He loved B but the man did the kids bad rapping get on his nerves. He took it fine in his opinion and was even pushing himself harder than before. Now if he could just get him to drop the rapping…

* * *

 

**AN:** B’s was a lot shorter because I realized I couldn’t do his rapping… So when he comes into the story he’ll still be over the top but Naruto & Kurama will just filter out his rap and put it into coherent sentences.


	3. The Hyuga Incident

**Rating:** PG-13.

**Warnings:** Swearing.

**Word Count:** 2,119

**Edit:** 6/23/19 - 3,134 - Lengthed and Edited.

**Pairings:** None.

**Disclaimer:** I sadly do not own Naruto nor any characters from it.

**AN:** Random Updates. Please Read & Review. Enjoy the chapter.

* * *

 

Naruto and Kurama’s talk with the other Biju went relatively well. They agreed to just let all of them decide if their hosts would be able to handle the memories or not. They were also only getting their memories of the war and only the war. Something everyone unanimously agreed on. Naruto and Kurama couldn’t let the jinchuuriki go off alone to go face the Akatsuki and get themselves killed and their beasts captured.

 

Hence the reason why they wouldn’t be able to stop any coming events that might be necessary unless he or Kurama tell them. It wasn’t like they were only benefiting Konoha either. Naruto cared about all of the Hidden Villages and he’ll stop anything he deems wrong in any of them. Which includes the jinchūriki treatment and the Civil War that was raging in Kiri.

 

So that means Naruto will have to do something about Fu and Gaara, he’s not leaving his youngest siblings in environments like that. Taki practically treats Fu like a prisoner and Gaara’s father tries to assassinate him every other day. Yes, he will definitely have to come up with something for those two kids.

 

He wants to do something about Utakata and Yugito as well and would be more than willing to welcome them into Konoha. He’d smuggle damn near all of them in because he considered them family. His older brothers’ and sisters’, even if he was technically older than half of them now. B is really the only one who’d object because of his brother. Most of the other jinchuriki don’t have a luxury such as family - if they do their pretty much garbage - and he knows what that feels like.

 

But he’d have to wait a few more years until… like until he was six or something.

 

Now back on track to his earlier thoughts. All of the Biju did the memory transfer except for the obvious Gaara and Fu. Isobu also informed them of it not working because the Genjutsu on Yagura just blocks it out. He can’t reach the kid until an outside force breaks the jutsu which they already figured.

 

Unfortunately, they couldn’t give the group their times of when they were taken by the Akatsuki because none of them were sure how their hosts would react. But in Naruto’s timeline, the ones that were taken the quickest were Kukuo, Son, Chomei, and almost Saiken. Yeah, gathering the jinchuuriki together for protection was looking better and better. Even if the Akatsuki didn’t move until his training trip the timeline could be moved up with the freeing of Yagura and them angering Obito or well ‘Tobi’ right now.

 

Naruto was also not naive enough - anymore - to believe that saving Yahiko will make it so the Akatsuki will never exist. He knows Zetsu will just use a different plan. He’s thousands of years old and he probably has many contingency plans to fall back on. Which means they might as well just save the Mizukage and Kiri.

 

Now back to the chibi jinchuuriki. Naruto will just have to move Gaara and Fu somewhere save because their villages can’t be trusted… maybe house them in or near Konoha? It’s not like their villages would suspect that since the Leaf would have no reason to take them, they aren’t known for causing  _ pointless _ wars. Han and Roshi could too since Iwa lost track of them a long time ago, so it’s not like they are gonna find out. Utakata was gonna abandon Kiri too eventually. His train of thought was cut off from his mother entering the room. 

 

He thought he’d be used to Kushina by now but he still marveled at the fact that she was alive and he was being raised by his parents this time around. But he practically still stared wide-eyed at her in wonder sometimes.

 

“Naru-chan be good for your Kakashi-nii while we are gone, okay?” Kushina hugged him quickly then pulled back with a grin so she could kiss him on both of his cheeks.

 

Kakashi-nii. Yeah, he would never get used to that one. His sensei really was close to his mother and father. Kinda made him wonder why Kakashi didn’t treat him better as a kid, but the blond decided to file that thought away to look at later.

 

Toddler Naruto tilted his head from where he was standing in the middle of his room, “Leaving? Where are you going?”

 

His mother was about to respond until Kakashi walked into the room and did it for her. “They are going to the Hyuga Heiress's third birthday party.” The silver-haired ninja said and then sighed dramatically, “Poor Minato-sensei, having to sit through something with the stuffy Hyuga’s.”

 

This Kakashi and  _ his _ Kakashi-sensei were almost the same. He was still always late - except with his appointees with Kushina - and he was easy going, lazy, the same old guy. The only thing majorly different was his eyes. Or well eye. It showed much more emotion in it then his dull ones when he first got the job of sensei to Team Seven. It must have been because his parents’ had lived.

 

When Naruto tuned back into the world he actually saw pity in Kakashi’s eye and almost laughed until Kushina smacked Kakashi ‘playfully’ in the back of the head and walked out of the room, leaving the two of them alone.

 

Naruto’s room was rather large and was located on the second level of the house. His walls were a sandy beige color and the floor had a sleek brown carpet. His large bed was in the back corner of the room near a window with a dresser beside it. He also had a smaller twin sized bed on the opposite corner near the other window. Then near the door to the left was a small desk with a chair and to the right was a bookshelf with a tan loveseat with two ocean blue pillows next to it. 

 

He also had a smaller playroom attached to this room with the door to it near the couch. It had the same color walls but with a deep royal blue carpet. It had another twin sized bed but with a toy chest in the front of it. It also had orange, yellow, red, and grey bean bags seated in a circle for Naruto, Minato, Kushina, and Kakashi. 

 

Naruto rarely used that room now what with his dad back to being a full-time Hokage and his mom and Kakashi being active Jounin again. At the beginning of his birth, his mother was still recovering from all the strain she was under. 

 

The doctors didn’t even know if she’d make it or not, the only thing that saved her was her Uzumaki Vitality. So, while she was recovering it was Kakashi and Minato who was ‘raising him’ until he was one and they still stuck around frequently until about six months ago.

 

Naruto’s fine with it though since he’s technically over 20 years old now. He wondered if his 19-year-old body aged or if his other form would just stay that age. He can’t be sure since he didn’t even know about it until today. That dumb fox keeping all the important information from him.

 

“I’ll be right downstairs Naru-chan so just call if you need me, okay?” Kakashi patted his head and eye smiled down at him. Naruto just nodded his head and Kakashi left the room.

 

Naruto moved to the nicely sized playroom and sat on his orange bean bag. He got comfortable and then closed his eyes.

 

“Good, now that Kakashi is gone we can figure out what we’re gonna do about Hinata’s abduction,” Naruto announced right when he appeared in his mindscape.

Good thing Kakashi told him where his mother was going or he probably would’ve forgotten about Hinata. In his defense, it wasn’t like he looked at the calendar every day. He really needed to focus more though or he was bound to fuck something up.

 

Naruto looked around and saw the Kyuubi laying down and he seemed to be sunbathing.

 

**“You mean** **_you’re_ ** **gonna figure out what** **_you_ ** **are going to do, kit.”** Kurama lazily opened one of his eyes, his head still resting on his front paws. The lazy furball.

 

Naruto just glared and knew the fox would be able to tell even with his eyes closed.

 

The nine-tails huffed and sat up on his hind legs, giving Naruto his full attention. **“Fine. Just use your other form and take out the Kumo nin before he tries to take the girl.”** the fox stated like it was that easy.

 

“But if I do that then I’ll just be accused of breaking the treaty or some crap like that, right?”

 

Kurama sighed while rolling his eyes,  **‘Soooo, find a way to just alert the compound and catch the ninja in the act and** **_don’t_ ** **kill him. We don’t want to pull a Hiashi,’** The fox snickered at the last part. It was such a good joke. Naruto just shook his head.

 

Well, when he puts it like that. “Ah, okay,” Naruto nodded and then sent him a sheepish smile, “and uh how exactly do I change my form?”

 

Kurama knew he wasn’t going to be getting back to that nap anytime soon.

* * *

 

Hiashi Hyuga woke up to the sounds of running, flaring chakra and his door being thrown open. A servant burst through and seemed relieved that he was already awake. Hmph as if he could sleep through all of this noise. 

 

“H-Hiashi-sama… H-Hinata-sama was-” and he was out the door before the man could even finish that sentence.

 

“ **_Byakugan,_ ** ” Hiashi made the hand sign and gathered his chakra behind his eyes to activate the Hyuuga Blood Limit. He looking around wildly until he located his daughter and two other chakra signatures on the side of the compound. He didn’t even stop to think before he raced off in that direction.

 

He had to save his little girl.

He jumped the wall with a leap after focusing the right amount of chakra into his feet. As soon as he hit the ground he turned in the direction of the intruders. He saw a Kumo ninja holding a limp Hinata in his arms. His blood began to boil and he took a hasty step towards the enemy nin ready to charge until a hand shot out and he registered the second person he sensed. The person that was blocking the path to his daughter. 

 

The stranger was at least 4 inches taller than himself with waist-length shiny golden blond hair and an ANBU like fox mask, Hiashi also spotted an ANBU tattoo on the guy’s left shoulder. He would’ve accepted the man as a regular stationed ANBU except for the fact that he didn’t recognize the man. He always made sure to keep up with new members, as was the duty of any Clan Head. Then he remembered the guy was trying to stop him so he moved to shove him out of the way but before he even moved the man spoke.

 

“Wait, Hiashi-sama. If you kill this man it’ll end badly for your clan,” he shuddered at the certainty in the stranger’s voice, “I’ll rescue Hinata-sama.” he said and before Hiashi could react the ninja vanished. 

 

No, not vanished, he appeared behind the Kumo ninja faster than the Byakugan could follow and knocked him out with a hit to the back of the neck. It reminded him a bit of the Hokage’s Hirashin. 

 

The enemy ninja’s grip loosened completely on Hinata and the man caught her before she hit the ground. The blond straightened and walked over to him calmly and confidently with Hinata cradled carefully in his arms.

 

“Here Hiashi-sama,” the man placed his daughter in his arms and continued with a cheerful voice, “ I’ve knocked that idiot out so make sure to alert the Hokage on what happened, ‘kay?”

 

Hiashi looked hard at the man to see if he could get a look at the face behind the mask but it looked shrouded and blurry. His Byakugan couldn’t see through the mask. That shouldn’t be possible.

 

Hiashi narrowed his eyes, “Who are you?”

 

The man laughed and pointed to his mask, “Why I’m Fox, of course,” and then he vanished. The only proof of him even being there was a small card in the ground with a beautiful designed golden fox with… nine-tails on it.

 

The man-‘Fox’ seemed suspicious to him but he had a daughter to take care of and a Hokage to alert. The stranger could wait.

* * *

 

_ -3 Days After the Hyuga Incident- _

 

Naruto was lying on his bed spread eagle while he stared up at the ceiling. He saved Hinata from the big bad Kumo nin and Neji’s dad by extension. When his dad was told about what happened he threatened A and the treaty was saved. You really do not want to see an angry Yellow Flash. Everybody remembered how much he did in the last war. 

 

Just thinking of the pointless Ninja wars gets him worked up. Naruto can’t wait to get the villages at peace again since he’d rather not deal with the Raikage, Tsuchikage, and Mizukage. Well, he’s only three so he’ll have to wait for that. But maybe he could just nudge his dad in the right direction… Nah, he’ll have to do it himself, he can’t imagine Minato doing it. 

 

It wouldn’t even be that hard if it was him since B is a jinchūriki and on good terms with him… or well will be eventually. And A is B’s brother which is enough said. The Mizukage is a jinchūriki and will be more than grateful to Naruto and Kurama after they save him. And he got along with the baby-faced man child when they first met. The Tsuchikage would be the real challenge. The only thing that got the old man moving last time was the two words ‘Madara Uchiha’ and Gaara egging them on. 

 

He had a few years till he really needed to start worrying about it so he filed it away for a later date.

 

Hiashi also informed the Hokage about the apparent ANBU called ‘Fox’ that saved Hinata that night and rumors have been swirling. Especially since Naruto left his Golden Fox calling card. He honestly couldn’t help messing with them since it entertained him. 

 

But it wasn’t just for that since he wasn’t going to tell most people he’s from the future a separate identity was essential for him to have. Even though he made a little bit of a slip up since Hiashi noticed his ANBU tattoo and that wasn’t part of the plan at all but oh well.  _ Adds to the mystery _ . Naruto’s got to keep those black ops guys on their toes.

 

**‘Uh huh. Now, if your done patting yourself on the back can we get back to the plan.’**

 

Naruto crossed his arms, ‘Hmph. Fine Kyuu. So I summon you in human form and you’ll go to Ame and save Yahiko from that stupid lizard guy?’ he wrinkled his nose at the thought of Hanzo.

 

**‘Actually, I was thinking of Kiri and Yagura but that works too. We still have a while yet until Yagura is in serious danger anyway. I believe he died when you were 12 and your 3 right now so that would make him… around 20 years old.’**

 

‘I was thinking of Yahiko because his death is literally right around the corner. And I know we have time but I don’t want Yagura to have to suffer anymore, ya know? How long will it take you assuming that he’s still alive?’ Naruto questioned while getting out of his bed and preparing to summon the Kyuubi in his human form.

 

He bit his thumb, yelled out the summoning, and the familiar poof sounded.  **“Shouldn’t take me too long. There are really only three options.”** He stated in an obvious tone. When Naruto just sat back down on the bed and looked at him blankly he sighed long-sufferingly and continued.

 

**“One, they already took the meeting and I just kill Hanzo. Two, they didn’t take the meeting and I kill Hanzo. Three, I show up just in time to** **_flashily_ ** **kill Hanzo.”** The Kyuubi condescendingly asked if Naruto understood everything like he was three and made sure his voice was oozing with the utmost innocence. 

 

“So basically you’re just gonna go and kill Hanzo, right?” Naruto asked dryly while giving the oldest Biju a pointed look.

 

Kurama had just stretched a bit while snickering. Then he straightened abruptly and opened the window, gave the blond a wave and then he was gone. The only thing that proved he didn’t simply vanish was the flash of red along with a breeze that wasn’t from the wind outside.

 

_ Why I trust Kurama with these things is beyond me,  _ Naruto thought with a sigh and climbed back into the bed and drifted off into a peaceful sleep. He dreamed of a giant fox tearing apart an ugly looking lizard, it was quite a good dream in his opinion.

* * *

 

**_~Extra: Uzumaki Naruto~_ **

 

“Hey Minato, have you noticed how our little Naruto never cries?” Kushina asked softly, her gaze still trained on the baby that was held firmly in her grasp.

 

She was sitting in the living room rocking Naruto back and forth on one of the comfortable wooden rocking chairs. She looked down at the baby boy in her lap and swore that he was grinning wickedly up at her.

 

“Hm? Oh yeah, I’ve noticed. He didn’t even cry the night he was born. Our Naru-chan is just that strong,” Minato shrugged and smiled happily down at his son.

 

Kushina beamed at the praise and started bragging with a smug voice, “Well of course. He is an Uzumaki after all.” Naruto seemed to smirk at that.

 

“Hey! He’s a Namikaze too, Kushina.” Minato declared from his sitting position on the floor, facing the baby and Kushina. “We both contributed…” He muttered lowly. The woman turned her head and smiled a little too sweetly at him.

 

The redhead held up her fist in a threatening manner, “I’m sorry, what was that honey?”

 

The blond sweatdrops and chuckles nervously, “Oh nothing dear.”

 

She glared for a few more seconds and then turned her attention to the blond baby again. “That’s what I thought. Right, Uzumaki Naru-chan?” she cooed and Naruto giggled happily. Minato just sighed dejectedly about how  _ he _ had to marry into  _ her _ family instead of the other way around.

 

But he wouldn’t trade his family for the world.

 

And that’s how Naruto kept his last name and Minato took - was forced - the Uzumaki last name as well.


	4. Yahiko & The Uzumaki Clan?

**Rating:** PG-13.

**Warnings:** Swearing. 

**Word Count:** 1,651

**Edit:** 6/23/19 - 2,396 - Lengthed and Edited.

**Pairings:** None.

**Disclaimer:** I sadly do not own Naruto nor any characters from it.

**AN:** Random Updates. Please Read & Review. Enjoy the chapter.

* * *

 

“So let me get this straight. Hanzo was going to ambush us at the ‘meeting’ and that’s why you killed him before he could kill me?” Yahiko asked the long-haired red-headed man.

 

Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan were all sitting on a couch in one of the many rooms located in Rain Tower. Across from them was a tall, slim man with waist length crimson hair and mesmerizing golden eyes that reminded him of a fox. His hair was actually near the color of Nagato’s now that Yahiko looked at it more, just a few shades darker.

 

**“Yeah. Let’s just say that if I didn’t arrive when I did… well somebody in this room would be** **_very_ ** **dead right now.”** He gave a pointed look towards Yahiko and all three of them blanched a bit at that.

 

The three of them were suddenly very glad that this strange person showed up when he did. Nagato and Konan didn’t know what they’d do if Yahiko had died. He was practically their older brother. He had saved both of them and pushed to keep going during the really hard times of the war. He was their hero.

 

As the man stood up to leave he suddenly stopped and turned like he forgot something and looked right at Nagato. His intense golden eyes boring into the other redhead’s steady gaze.

 

**“Ah right, almost forgot. You’re an Uzumaki, Nagato,”** the redhead’s eyes widened, **“You have a distant aunt, the current Matriarch of the clan, and her son, your cousin, waiting for you in Konoha. I suppose I’m your cousin too... well anyways you’d all be welcome. I’m sure Kushina would be happy to have you.”** and after that bombshell was dropped, the man left the three Ame Orphans with their jaws practically touching the ground from the shock.

 

The only thing they even saw before he vanished was a red flash and a light breeze.

 

Yahiko was the first to recover from the shocking revelation and spoke after a few moments, “So, when do we leave? I’ve always wanted to see Konoha!” He said excitedly and was already moving around the room mumbling about what they’ll need to pack and how much money to take.

 

Nagato gaped and sputtered, “What about Ame? We can’t just drop everything and head to Konoha on a  _ whim _ , Yahiko!” His friend always tried to be the voice of reason, even though it looked like he wanted to go too.

 

“Ehhh, Konan will stay here and watch over the village for us. Seeing your family is much much  _ much _ more important, right Konan?” Yahiko gave her a threatening smile and she nodded quickly.

 

She knew better then do get on Yahiko’s bad side. She didn’t want to wake up from a bucket of ice water or frogs hopping all over her again. The man was a prank master and he would never forget this and she’d have to deal with it for weeks.

 

With that, the orangette grabbed Nagato’s arm and led him out the door to go and pack. “Oh, this is going to be such fun!”

 

“Make sure to visit Nagato!” Konan yelled after them. She had a feeling that their resident redhead wouldn’t be coming back permanently. She was okay with that since he was going to be with his family. Everyone deserved that.

 

Nagato just sighed and followed his pseudo brother and hoped that everything would turn out okay. He was curious to meet this so-called aunt and cousin of his. Nagato smiled,  _ ‘maybe this won’t be so bad.’ _

 

But then Yahiko started chattering away and he really wished he could just ditch him and make the journey alone. It would be quicker and less likely to leave him with a massive headache.

* * *

 

Kurama sat up from his perch on the roof. He hadn’t actually left the Tower. He opened the window, hopped on the roof, and sat back to listen to the show.

 

“ **Heh. That was far too easy.”** He said aloud while playing with his long hair, **“The brat had better be grateful to me for helping to get one of the few remaining members of his clan to Konoha.”** Kurama laughed. 

 

He sat up and flipped his hair behind him, “ **Oh they have** **_no idea_ ** **what it means to be an Uzumaki. Maybe I should just rescue Karin for the hell of it… Ah well got nothing better to do.”** and with a decision seemly made he raced off in the direction of a certain redheaded girl.

* * *

 

Kurama looked down at the little five-year-old girl from his perch in a tree. Now that he was here he didn’t think that he had completely thought this through…but how hard could it really be? Now how to get the girl, bring her back to Konoha, and then have Kushina adopt her...

 

So many decisions…

 

“Your chakra is really warm mister, and it is such a pretty red color.” He was so startled that he actually fell out of the tree he was perched in. He straightened up into a sitting position on the wet grass and found the brat giggling at him.

 

Or he could just be straightforward about it.

 

**“...Thanks. Now, what are you doing out here all alone? Where are your parents, girl?”** he looked Karin up and down and saw a few fresh bite marks but nowhere near the massive amount she had as an adult. 

 

Kurama still wanted to slaughter the village for putting a little girl through this though. The things humans did to their kits. It never ceased to amaze him how their race survived with all the vile people ruining it. But he guessed that people like Naruto were what kept it going.

 

“My mom’s dead and… I ran from the hospital,” she admitted in a quiet voice.

 

**“Hm, I see.”** He nodded and didn’t ask more since he already knew why she ran. So he shot the girl a grin, **“You know you look like an Uzumaki with that red hair of yours… I know where a few of your relatives are if you want to leave here.”** he offered with a shrug and a casual flip of his hair. He was seriously considering chopping the length off but he felt that he’d end up missing it too much. Even if it was annoying.

 

“How would you know?” she demanded while crossing her arms in front of her chest in a defensive manner.

 

Kurama grabbed some of his hair and held it up for her to see,  **“I think I would** **_know_ ** **what an Uzumaki looks like, brat.”** technically he’s not lying since he never said  _ he _ was an Uzumaki - which he still technically is but not by blood. 

 

He was apart of it by adoption into it after Naruto became head of the pretty much extinct clan. He was pretty sure most if not all of his siblings also took a liking to the Uzumaki name and donned it after the blond offered it to them as well. It just clicked with their names.

 

Naruto considered all of them his family and said something about how since they were his family they should carry the name. Sage, that kid never ceased to surprise him. He’d never forget the look on their faces when the boy had said that to them.

 

“I’m really an Uzumaki? And I have a family that you’ll take me to?” Karin asked timidly as if she thought Kurama was going to take it back and laugh in her face. He really wanted to go slaughter that village. She was just a kit.

 

**“Yes, I believe you are and your Clan is in Konoha, are you positive you want to go?”** he said as he held out his arms for her to be picked up.

 

She nodded and he picked her up and prepared himself for the journey back to The Leaf before he remembered something. He looked down at the child in his arms.

 

**“What’s your name, kid?”**

 

She seemed to think about it for a second before her face split into a wide grin and she responded with, “My name is Karin Uzumaki!”

 

Oh, Kushina is sure gonna be shocked that her ‘near extinct clan’ isn’t as gone as she thought it was. She’s just going to love Nagato and Karin. The young redheads are going to enjoy gaining a rowdy family like Naruto’s. After all, it’s made up of Konoha's Yellow Flash, Red-Hot Habanero, Kakashi of the Sharingan, and Hero of The Hidden Leaf.

 

(Even if Naruto and Kakashi hadn’t actually gained their titles yet)

 

**“You are sure going to like it there, kids.”** He muttered under his breath with a ghost of a smile on his lips.

* * *

 

Naruto was playing outside of his home while his mother sat on the porch watching him with a fond smile. He had been slightly worried since Kurama returned just that morning with a huge smug look on his face. He tried asking the fox what happened but he was ignored and has been ignored the entire time so he had stopped asking.

 

He was just waiting for the other shoe to drop and hoped that it was nothing  _ too _ bad. He went over to his mother to sit with her but before he could sit down he heard footsteps approaching them. He saw Kushina lift her head and her eyes go wide so he spun around and ended up with the same dumbstruck look.

 

Nagato and Yahiko were walking towards their house. The Nagato and Yahiko that were supposed to be in Ame… and are they holding a child that looked suspiciously like  _ Karin _ ?! What did Kurama do...

 

The group stopped in front of the house and Nagato came forward with the child still in his arms and spoke quietly. Hesitantly he looked up and met Kushina’s grayish-blue eyes with his purple ones.

 

“Are you... Kushina Uzumaki?” he asked with a level tone.

 

His mother stood up and nodded, still a little wide-eyed because of their hair that looked so much like her - even if the shades varied. Naruto had since recovered at that point since he knew about them. He was pretty sure they were all that was left of their clan. Besides Tsunade of course.

 

“Our names are Nagato and Karin Uzumaki,” he boosted the child up onto his hip a little more, “We were told about our heritage and to come here and meet the Clan Head.” 

 

Kushina was still staring at the two of them and then tears had started to cascade down her face. Naruto was about to ask if she was okay but before he could his mother launched herself at the small group. She even dragged Naruto and Yahiko into the hug as well. Naruto saw Nagato, Karin, and Yahiko go a little wide-eyed and stiff at the sudden contact and at the tight hug until they calmed down a bit and relaxed. Then Kushina spoke again ad managed to shove herself even closer to their long lost family.

 

“W-We aren’t the l-last one’s anymore,” she hiccuped and shoved them all a little closer. The hug lasted for about a minute after that until she - reluctantly - released all of them from her grasp. She then backed up a bit and started pacing back and forth in front of the house, her red ankle length hair swaying with her every step.

 

“I didn’t even know there were any of us left, ya know? I’m just so happy and oh my god you guys definitely need to stay.” She beamed at them and then went back to her pacing before they could even respond. “We have enough room since this house is so big and all.” she gestured to the house and seemed to stop for a second.

 

She turned and looked at Yahiko, “Are you an Uzumaki too?” she asked hopefully, hands clasped together in front of herself.

 

The boy looked slightly sad, “No, I’m just here for my brother,” and he gestured to Nagato. 

 

Kushina looked dejected for all of three seconds until she registered the rest of what he said.

 

“An adopted Uzumaki is still an Uzumaki, ya know?” She smirked and held a little bit of a threatening glint in her eye until Yahiko just agreed quickly.

 

It was fine anyone since in her opinion orange was close enough to the color red. And one learned not to question her decisions on who she allowed into her Clan whether by blood or other ties.

 

“Okay well, I’m obviously adopting you three into the  _ main _ household,” Kushina couldn’t stand the thought of ‘branch families’ and Clan Hierarchy. Who gave a damn if they weren’t closely related to her. It disgusted her to see how lesser members were treated like in the Hyuuga. Hiashi’s own twin brother - therefore apart of the main family - was demoted to serving his brother because he was born a few seconds later. It was appalling.

 

The kids just gaped at her which she pretended not to notice. “And of course you are going to live here now, can’t have the rest of my family out Kami knows where.” She nodded her head like it was all decided and smiled at her three new kids.

 

Naruto just shook his head slightly and smiled up at his mother. He really was like his her. He would’ve done the exact same thing.

 

Kushina grabbed Nagato’s left hand and Yahiko’s right and started dragging them into the Uzumaki compound all while Naruto heard the Kyuubi cackling in the back of his head. Naruto shook his head again and followed them inside. As long as his mother was happy, then he was happy. Even if he now had three adopted older siblings. 

 

He was just glad that the creepy paper girl wasn’t there. Naruto would not stand for her getting adopted into his family. It’s not like he hated her or anything… she just made him uncomfortable with her weird paper body.

 

As Naruto continued to follow his mother through the house a thought suddenly occurred to him. He was really looking forward to seeing how Minato and Kakashi were going to react to this… Well, it was sure to be entertaining at least. Naruto smirked, ah yes, now that was going to be fun.


	5. The Real Beginning

**Rating:** PG-13.

**Warnings:** Swearing.

**Word Count:** 3,455.

**Edit:** 6/23/19 - 4,238 - Lengthened and Edited.

**Pairings:** None.

**Disclaimer:** I sadly do not own Naruto nor any characters from it.

**AN:** Random Updates. Please Read & Review. Enjoy the chapter.

* * *

_.3 years later: Naruto - 6. _

 

The past three years had been pretty uneventful for Naruto unless you count gaining the three new Uzumaki children. Minato and Kakashi’s faces’ were so priceless. Especially when they learned about the new additions  _ staying, _ but that’s for another time. 

 

Naruto and the rest of the jnchūriki have also been making plans. Killer B had agreed to the plan of gathering all of them and was sheltering Yugito, Roshi, and Han on Turtle Island to protect them from the Akatsuki in case they move up the timeline. He hadn’t even told the Raikage about it so that was nice. Bee just made up some excuse of wanting to train Yugito himself now that the girl was thirteen.

 

No one knew why Utakata vehemently rejected the invitation to go with the others to the island so they agreed to let him stay in Kiri right now. For some reason, he only agreed to go and stay in Konoha with Naruto. So, they decided that Kurama could just pick him up on his way back from Kiri. He suspected the raven had something against Kumo itself and that’s why he didn’t want to. Naruto completely understood. The most normal village next to Konoha was Suna. Iwa, Kiri, and Kumo all have pretty bad reputations.

 

Isobu had actually managed to do the memory transfer on Yagura but, it didn’t break the genjutsu. So, Kurama was taking care of that and already on his way to Kiri. Saiken alerted Utakata and he was preparing to leave at a moments notice. 

 

If all went well, which knowing Kurama it would but in a weird way, Yagura was going to be coming here. Mizukage or not he isn’t going to be left alone and become an easy target for the enemy. All of them, Biju and human, agreed on that. Once the Mist Biju were smuggled in Bee would drop off the rest and they’d all settle in the Leaf. Naruto would figure out where to hide them once they were here. Or simply lie about who they were.

 

That just left Fu and Gaara alone, without their memories because they were too young, in their home villages. Naruto was going to have to go in and take them until this is all over. The other villages don’t suspect much of anything since Kiri was basically in shambles and Kumo’s jnchūriki were still technically ‘there.’ Iwa lost track of their jinchuuriki a long time ago, Gaara’s still in Suna, and Fu’s still in Taki. 

 

And of course, Naruto was still in Konoha… for now, at least. He was going to have to figure out a way to get to Suna and Taki then make it back to Konoha with none being the wiser. Ah, if only it were that easy but he’d figure something out later.

 

Naruto would be dumb to assume that just because they saved Yahiko that the Akatsuki was never formed. Obito was the actual leader of it anyway and Zetsu the leader behind him so it was safe to assume that the organization still existed in some way, shape, or form. It’ll all have to wait until after his village was taken care of for him to make any headway, and until he was older. He can’t do everything as ‘Fox’ after all.

He had also been waiting to make all the big moves in the village until he was six because that’s when the Uchiha Massacre would go down. Right after Sasuke turned seven was when his Clan was slaughtered. He doesn’t know exactly how he’ll prevent it because even if he took care of Danzo the Uchiha have still already planned a coup regardless. Since the clan had probably been plotting a takeover for decades now. Most likely since the Nidiame’s reign.

 

So, his plan right now was to get the Uchiha more integrated into the village as a whole. Madara betraying the village already bathed the clan in a bad light, and the Nidaime just sped it up with the Uchiha Police Force. The Sandiame didn’t really help matters either, what with allowing Danzo to lust after their eyeballs and his ROOT operatives to spread rumors about them after the Kyuubi’s attack. He knew the Yondaime tried with Fugaku but it was definitely nowhere near the amount he should have.

 

Itachi, Shisui, and maybe Sasuke’s mother - since she is best friends with Kushina - could prove to be useful if he ended up needing help...

 

The blond was broken out of his thoughts by a knock on his door. He crossed the room to answer it and his eyes were greeted with the sight of Nagato. The guy looked a lot more healthy now, him coming to Konoha and being in the sun a lot more helped him have a darker complexion but still just barely. He was pretty much Sasuke’s color now. And strangely enough, nobody said anything about how he had the Rinnegan - or at least not that he knows of.

 

“Yeah, Nagato-nii?” he addressed his cousin. He, Yahiko, Nagato, Karin, and Kushina have all grown really close in the past three years. They were siblings in all but actual blood and they saw Kushina as a mother figure and Naruto was happy to have them and can tell they felt the same way.

 

All of them were orphans and he was too, in his other-past so he could relate far more than they would ever know.

 

Nagato ruffled his hair and responded, “You know if you wait any longer to leave you're going to be late, right?”

 

“Oh shit,” he cursed. The blond raced to pack up the rest of his things and grab the lunch his mother had made him from off of his desk.

 

“Naruto! Language!” The redhead scolded while he watched his cousin run around in a frenzy looking for the rest of his things. He fondly shook his head.

 

“Sorry, Nii-chan! Gotta go, see ya later!” he passed through his bedroom door and yelled behind him.

 

He ran all the way to the academy and just made it through the door before the bell rang. Naruto really pushed himself running all the way here, using chakra to boost his speed. He straightened up and assessed the room with an intelligent look on his face, bringing his head to rest on his palm in a thinking pose. 

 

His brain automatically blocked out any kids that were not in the Rookie Nine since he knew they wouldn’t pass. Clan kids were more important to the village and most of the Rookie Nine were that, besides Sakura and him. Although, now he supposes that he is also one of those Clan kids, even if it was only just barely.

 

He spotted Shikamaru and Choji seated to the left side of the room in the farthest back corner, with their aisle seat open. He lowered his gaze and noticed Kiba and Shino a row below them with the window seat empty. Sasuke was in the middle of his row below them in the very front with no one seated on either side. He moved his head to the left and started on the middle row of long desks, not noticing the looks he was receiving from the other kids in the room. Well, he did but he ignored them.

 

Hinata was seated in the second row in the middle section of the room, no names on either side of her. And below her was a random, Sakura, and finally Ino. Satisfied that he located all of his friends he smiled a little to himself and walked to the stairs on the last row to the farthest left of the classroom and went up to the stairs until he was seated with Shikamaru and Choji. He could feel them both staring at him but he kept his gaze focused on the front of the classroom. His smile soon turned into a frown.

 

A feeling had started in his chest after he saw each one of his friends and it made him realize something. It made him realize that  _ his _ friends were dead.  He had held most of them in his arms and felt their last breath. Saw their blood pouring out, making a puddle beneath them. 

 

Kurama had been doing a good job at blocking his memories from the war - it wasn’t a concern for the other jinchuuriki because he took care of them in the first week, they didn’t live through  _ three years of hell _ as he did. Don’t get him wrong, he was extremely pleased that none of them had to suffer through all of that hardship and not knowing if he would live to see tomorrow.

 

But he couldn’t think because Kurama wasn’t there right now to do the memory block. Naruto closed his eyes and tried to focus. To block the memories on his own and shove them away. He succeeded with most of them but four very slippery ones managed to slip through the cracks. The four he had of watching someone close to him die and leave alone...

 

Hinata telling him that she loved him and to never give up, to not let Kaguya win. To make sure to protect Shino, Kiba, and Akamaru because she couldn't now. To make sure to not let Neji’s sacrifice be in vain, and then she died. Kiba beside him crying and Akamaru whining softly at the death of the only other person besides Kiba he followed orders from.

 

Kiba telling him to take care of Akamaru and watch over the rest of the pack. To make sure they don’t join him and Hinata too quickly. He brought his hand up and sluggishly brushed his fingers over Naruto’s cheek, wiping a few tears away, then his hand slid off the blond’s face and hit the ground and he was dead, Akamaru whining beside him while he felt more tears rolling down his cheeks. He knew he wouldn't be able to keep his promise to Kiba and Hinata.

 

Sakura berating him for being an idiot and letting his guard down. Asking him to protect Sasuke, and assuring him that it was not his fault that she was dying, and that she was happy that she finally got to protect  _ him _ for once. He didn’t believe her and he felt another life slip away from him. Akamaru wasn't by his side this time.

 

Shikamaru was the last of the Rookie Nine to die. Practically his other half at the end, the shadow to his light. Shikamaru was by his side for the entire war and died regretting that he was leaving Naruto all alone. Naruto brought his forehead down and touched it against Shikamaru’s. He told him that it was okay and that he would be fine. They both knew he was lying, and when the Nara’s hand slid off his face he broke down completely. His death hit him the hardest and left his defenses wide open. That was the day he came back to the past. The day he almost died.

 

The blond could feel himself about to pass out or throw up. Maybe both. Right before he could however he felt Kurama’s presence return and the memories of the war were completely pushed back along with most of the feelings associated with it. 

 

Naruto heaved out a sigh of relief and glanced around to see if anybody noticed his little flashback episode. It was probably only a few seconds but it felt like  _ hours _ to him. After assessing his peers he reassured himself that he was in the clear. He turned his attention back to the front of the room, just missing the puzzled look that Shikamaru sent him. When the Nara didn’t understand something it itched at him until could figure it out.

 

‘What. Was.  _ That _ .?’ he asked the Kyuubi in his mind, still trying to sort out his feelings because he did remember them dying in his arms but he didn’t remember the details… or the complete feelings for some of them.

 

**‘** **_That,_ ** **kit, was something you weren’t supposed to see or feel yet.’** The fox stated solemnly.

 

‘ _ Why? _ ’ Naruto asked softly and he could still feel some of the anguish he felt during their deaths.

 

Kurama sighed,  **‘Because you wouldn’t have been able to handle it, Naruto.”**

 

The nine-tails sat up a bit.  **“Hinata’s death cracked you, Kiba’s death almost shattered you before I could close them both off and blur them. Then Sakura’s death ripped the old wound right back open and I had to close it** **_again_ ** **, lest you remember the first two.**

 

**“And Shikamaru’s death, well his broke you completely on its own without the need for the other three. I did eventually manage to block it but you were already hit and then we were dying.’** he finished, training sad eyes on his host. 

 

The kit had been through so much in his relatively short life compared to most people. The only people that could ever even begin to understand him were other ninjas that had grown up and lived through a war. But even then they didn’t lose  _ everything _ that mattered to them. To Naruto.

 

‘How didn’t I realize you ‘blurred’ them?’ he felt like he surely would’ve remembered all of that.

 

**‘Well you not wanting to remember them in the first place made it a lot easier, you still remembered what they were to you but the feelings were suppressed by a lot. I covered up Sakura’s tear before it could result in you remembering. Then, the lethal attack you were given after Shikamaru’s knocked you out cold so I had the time to shove them all backdown.”** Kurama concluded.

 

Naruto absorbed all of that and could understand why the fox did what he did. But it didn’t stop him from feeling the guilt over forgetting about what some of them meant to him. He suddenly felt Kurama giving him a mental smack with one of his tails and was about to snap at him when the Kyuubi spoke.

 

**‘Kit, look around you.** **_Your_ ** **friends are** **_not_ ** **dead. That future** **_hasn’t_ ** **happened, and it won’t, got it?’** Kurama growled aggressively waiting for the boy to agree with him. Naruto could feel his tails just waiting for another chance to mentally whack him if he denied it.

 

‘Yeah yeah, I got it you mangy old flea-ridden fuzzball,’ the blond huffed out.

 

He knew that it would take a while to heal from the everything he went through during the war, but looking around the classroom and seeing everyone alive again helped a helluva a lot. His determination to do what he needed to do just got a second wind. So, he refocused back onto the present. He had the Uchiha Clan to save after all.

 

**‘I still say we should just let them die** **_or_ ** **rip their eyeballs out,’** the fox pouted grumpily.

 

Naruto mentally rolled his eyes, ‘Oh shut up, Kyuu.’

 

**‘...Hn.’** He twitched and decided to just ignore the beast.

 

Now, Uchiha Clan time. There may be many ways he could accomplish this but it almost all depended upon the adults after the first phase. Mainly Fugaku since he knew that most of the others’ parents weren't going to care. Maybe Kiba’s mom but eh, Tsume would get over it. Or not. Naruto didn’t really care either way.

 

This time around he was known as ‘The Hokage’s son’ so hopefully it’ll be useful in making friendships with the Clan Kids. If he was still the orphaned demon container than shit would be a lot harder. But he thankfully wasn’t. Now, onto the plan.

 

Ino, Choji, Kiba, Hinata, and Sakura will be the easy ones. Ino was a social butterfly and not a rabid fangirl right now. Choji was easy going and liked hanging around others. Dog boy had a lot in common with him. Hinata had her little crush on him so the girl wasn’t going to say no. And Sakura was friends with Ino, practically attached to the hip in the early academy days.

 

It’ll be much more challenging to convince Sasuke, Shikamaru, and Shino to hang out and to get them to hang out with the Uchiha. He didn’t really know how Sasuke was right now but he hoped it wasn’t anything bad. Shikamaru was just plain lazy but maybe with Choji’s agreement, he’d agree to the hangout as well. Shino was… Shino. 

 

But then again all of his friends were very young and he never really interacted with them until the teams were formed. He kept forgetting that all of them were only six years old right now.

 

So, Plan One: Get everyone to hang out at Sasuke’s house  _ frequently. _ Since this would mean the adults would have to interact with each other when dropping off their kids and picking them up. That one should be simple enough as long as he acts like Sasuke invited them… Maybe a few backups just in case though.

 

Plan Two: Have it at his own house and Fugaku or Mikoto will have to pick up Sasuke and interact with the other clans and then eventually have it at Sasuke’s. This one is too slow for Naruto’s liking and not enough since he needs a lot of Uchiha to change their views on the rest of the village.

 

Plan Three: Invite them to train together. That one he knows Sasuke and Kiba will accept almost indefinitely. Shikamaru will be too lazy, the girls aren’t serious yet, and Choji no because of Shikamaru and Shino is a wildcard for all three of the plans. But still the same problem as the second one. Not enough Uchiha.

 

Naruto sighed aloud. All of this thinking was really starting to hurt his brain.

 

**‘What brain?’** the Kyuubi questioned seriously and then started snickering. He chose to disregard the fox’s teasing as usual.

 

Oh, screw it. He would just go with plan one for now and hopefully won’t have to resort to the other ones. How long until the lesson was over? He glanced over at the clock. Three hours. Eh, he needed a nap anyways.

* * *

 

Naruto woke up five minutes before the day ended, the teacher had dismissed the class early. He hopped up out of his seat and started down the stairs to get to Sasuke’s row. He made it to the row just as the boy stood up and started collecting his things. He plastered a large grin on his face.

 

“Hi, I’m Naruto Uzumaki! What’s your name?” The raven-haired boy just looked at him with a neutral expression. It was better than past-Sasuke’s blatant annoyance at the mere sight of him anywhere near the boy.

 

“...Sasuke Uchiha.” He said after a beat then started playing with the bottom of his shirt in what looked like a nervous tic. 

 

Sasuke didn't look annoyed or anything like that to Naruto. He just seemed like he didn't know what to do. Maybe this would be easier than he had first assumed if Sasuke was just shy. Wow... and now wasn't that a weird thought. The revenge obsessed Uchiha was  _ shy _ .

 

“Do you want to hang out with me today?” Naruto placed his hands behind his head and made his signature stance, still smiling at the other boy.

 

“Sure…” Perfect. Now Naruto just has to get a few more of the others… Now, who was still here?

 

Naruto nodded in obvious happiness at the raven’s acceptance and then turned to quickly scope out the room. He could see Sakura, Ino, and Hinata in the front of the room and Shikamaru, Choji, and Kiba still at the back. The only one missing being Shino who Naruto vowed to get next time. Even if he had to drag the boy. He always felt that Shino looked a little lonely - not that you could ever see his whole face but still - and he wanted to change that this time around.

 

Shaking off the thought for later, he moved to grab Sasuke’s wrist and pulled him towards the girls. It was time for all the members of the future Rookie Nine to officially meet. Once he nears the group he calls out a greeting and they turn towards him and - the still being dragged - Sasuke.

 

“Hey, I’m Naruto Uzumaki and that’s,” he releases Sasuke’s wrist and gestures to him, “Sasuke Uchiha. What’re your guys’ names?” He asked with a sweet smile that would make his mother coo and his father to fawn over him.

 

Ino beamed at them and twisted her hair a bit, “I’m Ino Yamanaka!”  _ The Hokage’s son and the dreamy Uchiha boy! _

 

Oh god. He could just tell what the Yamanaka heir was thinking. Not this time, he was going to crush the girls’ tendency to fangirl right away before it was too late. Kami help him with that one.

 

“...Sakura Haruno.” Sakura spoke softly, thankfully she was still shy and not a rabid fangirl yet and never if Naruto had anything to say about it. Hopefully, he did or eventually would.

 

“H-Hinata H-Hyuga.” Hm... Hinata’s stutter wasn’t that bad. Maybe if she was around more people it would help her come out of that shell. And with all the different personalities their group shared it shouldn’t be too hard.

 

“‘Kay, now that we all know each other do you guys want to hang with us today at Sasuke’s house?” Sasuke looked like he was about to speak up but Ino nodded her head before he could - a little too enthusiastically in his opinion - and basically gave agreed for Sakura as well. Hinata nodded slightly, a light blush dusting her cheeks.

 

“Cool let’s go!” But instead of going out the door he grabbed Sasuke again - he couldn’t take the chance of the boy running off on him now - and made his way up the stairs. Right to where the guys still were. Naruto almost donned the Kyuubi’s evil grin there for a second but managed to make it a nice, sweet, and almost-innocent smile.

 

Almost.

 

He could tell that the girls were following him, maybe a little confused but hey. He wanted to get everyone sooner rather than later. He reached the other boys in a few seconds and spoke his name once again.

 

“Hey, I’m Naruto Uzumaki!” Might as well do the introductions quickly, he gestures to each of the people behind him. “She’s Ino Yamanaka, next to her is Sakura Haruno and that’s Hinata Hyuga,” he pulled Sasuke to stand beside him, “and this is Sasuke Uchiha. What are your names?” He let go of Sasuke but the boy didn’t move away and stayed at his side which the blond took as a good sign.

 

“Troublesome.” Shikamaru yawned. 

 

What’s this kid’s game? If he was right - and he always was - these kids were all pretty important. What with them all being in major Clans and the heirs to them. And so where Kiba, Choji and him, the only exception seemed to be the pink-haired girl. Making friends with this kid was gonna be a drag, he could just see it now.

 

The Nara responded to Naruto lazily, “Shikamaru Nara. The one eating is Choji Akimichi.” He gestured to Choji and then put his hands back in his pockets. 

 

Naruto looked at Kiba questioningly since Shika didn’t introduce him. Probably because it was too ‘troublesome’ for the shadow nin.

 

“The name’s Kiba Inuzuka and don’t forget it!” Kiba barks at them - it looked like he didn’t have Akamaru yet - but it wasn’t in a mean way. 

 

With all of that out of the way Naruto took a good look at all of his soon-to-be great friends and beamed. A lot of them smiled back at him or at each other. Naruto moved into his signature stance again.

 

“Cool. So, we are all going to Sasuke’s house to hang out and stuff. Do you three wanna come with us?” He asked with excitement evident in his voice. When it looked like the raven might speak up about his house being used - again - Kiba cut in before he could say anything. Thankfully.

 

“Yeah sure, Naruto.” Kiba gave him a fanged grin and Naruto returned it with one of his foxy ones. He really did miss the dog boy. They were so alike. 

 

Naruto thought Shikamaru was about to respond with his go-to answer which was ‘too troublesome’ but Choji beat him to it.

 

“Mmhm, Naruto. We’d be happy to join you guys.” Naruto nodded happily and pumped his fist in the air.

 

“Yatta! Let’s get going then!” Heh. It’s all going according to plan so far and Naruto was left practically cackling on the inside. Enough to make the Kyuubi sweatdrop and question where the fox went wrong. Which was probably everywhere knowing himself. Sage help those poor children.

 

The only thing on Naruto’s mind, however, was saving the Uchiha Clan - which would save Sasuke from becoming a bastard - and getting his friends together again. Maybe them all having deeper friendships with one another will change things for the better. 

 

Oh, this was just the beginning for his makeshift family and as Naruto was making his way down the stairs, all of them following him and with Sasuke by his side, he knew that everything was going to be okay.

 

Probably…


	6. Coup Averted!

**UPDATED!** I know you guys read this chapter already but I deleted it so you guys would know I've updated the story. I went back through it and re-did all of the chapters and some stuff has changed. I'd highly recommend going back and rereading the entire thing.

My One Piece story is next and then I'll be back with more chapters.

**Rating:** PG-13.

**Warnings:** Swearing.

**Word Count:** 6,161

**Pairings:** None.

**Edit:** 6/27/19 - 7,412 - Lengthened and Edited.

**Disclaimer:** I sadly do not own Naruto nor any characters from it.

**AN:** Random Updates. Please Read & Review. Enjoy the chapter.

* * *

 

Naruto could hear the kids behind him conversing about random kid stuff and basically just getting to know each other. The girls eventually migrated to one another and were on the left side of him. He could hear Ino chattering to Hinata and Sakura about flowers, ribbons, and girly stuff so he tuned it out. 

 

He decided to focus on the kids to his right which was Kiba, Choji, and Shikamaru talking about ninja stuff and the Inuzuka saying he was getting a pup soon. Well, at least the boys were taking the academy more seriously than the girls. Though Naruto could tell it wasn’t by much. Still, it was better than nothing.

 

But then again all of them  _ were _ only six. Still, the blond knew just how much one needed to grow up quickly in this world… then again his friends were strong - or would be - so he had no reason to be worried. He would always be there to protect them this time around, he wasn't losing any of them to war again. His friends were only allowed to die from old age or over his dead body, or kami so help him he would lose it. He knows he can’t always be there to protect them but he was sure as hell going to always _ try _ .

 

(He didn’t care if it was selfish. He was allowed to be for once in his life.)

 

He shook those thoughts from his head and focused his attention back to the group. He and Sasuke were in the middle with him next to the girls and the raven next to the boys. Sasuke was leading them to the Uchiha compound for their first of many play dates. He would make sure there were more at least. 

 

He was slightly surprised that the boy didn’t speak up and try to get them to go somewhere else but Naruto had to keep in mind that this was a different Sasuke. He was still the soft little boy with a family, not the angst-filled preteen or hatred-driven teenager from his timeline.

 

**‘At least the brat was entertaining.’** Kurama decided to so helpfully add his opinion. And he decided not to dignify that with an answer.

 

When the Uchiha Compound came into view Sasuke suddenly halted which caused the rest of the group to follow suit. The boy turned around to face them and the blond could tell from his posture that he was nervous, playing with his hands, avoiding eye contact, and biting his bottom lip slightly.

 

Naruto stared in confusion as did the rest of them. “Why’d you stop Sasuke?”

 

Sasuke looked up at them and spoke quietly. “It’s just… my Father is very… serious so could you guys please be respectful.” The group looked at each other and all of them were startled when Naruto suddenly started to laugh. He could see the raven starting to get mad so he shook off the laughter and held up his hands in a placating way.

 

“It’s just that… Sasuke…. you do realize that almost all of us are Clan Heir’s, right?” He gestured to all of them except Sakura. “We know when to mind our manners so relax.” He finished and grinned sincerely at the boy.

 

“Yeah man, we all have at least one parent that’s hard on us. Like my mother…” Kiba did a full body shiver just thinking about it while Shikamaru and Choji nodded their heads in agreement at that statement. Yeah, Naruto remembered Tsume... not pleasant. He recalled that the other two boys had hard mother’s as well.

 

He was suddenly a lot more grateful that his own parents just adored him and weren’t that hard on him. Although, that could also have to do with him being a pretty low-maintenance and obedient child to raise since he wasn’t actually a kid.

 

Naruto was surprised to see Hinata step forward and speak for the girls. “W-We’ll make sure to be r-respectful, Sasuke-kun.” Sakura and Ino nodded from either side of her.

 

This seemed to make Sasuke much calmer and more relieved. He shot them a small smile filled with gratitude and continued towards the gates. The guard on duty dipped his head and looked respectfully at the raven but looked at the rest of them with poorly hidden disdain. 

 

Most of them didn’t seem to notice but he could see Shikamaru’s eyes sharpen and Kiba bare his fangs at the man and Sasuke seemed to pick up the pace a bit. Naruto considered it a win that one person on each ‘team’ noticed the guard’s change.

 

As they kept making their way towards the main family’s house he noticed Sasuke’s posture continue to stiffen with each step closer. Yeah, he wouldn’t enjoy having to tell Fugaku that he’d be babysitting eight kids for the next several hours either.

 

They finally reached the house and Naruto took off his shoes like the others while Sasuke called out a greeting that was swiftly returned. But not by who the blond had expected. He looked up and watched as Itachi-  _ eleven-year-old _ Itachi - approached them and poked his brother in the forehead fondly. Naruto could tell that Sasuke didn’t think it was like that and saw the raven get annoyed and he rubbed at the spot.

 

Itachi turned his attention to them and he looked surprised, even though his face barely changed he could tell by the slight widening in the onyx eyes. “I see you’ve brought friends home, otouto.”

 

Sasuke blushed a bit. “Yes, Nii-san I did. Although, Naruto was the one who suggested we come here  _ and  _ he was the one who invited everyone else.” He informed his brother as he tried to sound annoyed. Which ultimately failed because of the smile that was clear as day on the kid’s face.

 

The rest of them didn’t know about this and thought Sasuke had offered on his own. 

 

Naruto just grinned dumbly and shrugged, “Your house was the closest to the Academy,” he told them easily. Everyone but Itachi and Shikamaru seemed to buy this answer.

 

Ugh, genesis's were so hard to deal with sometimes. Shikamaru wouldn’t confront him on anything until the Nara had a solid theory to go on so he wasn’t all that worried about him at the moment. 

 

Itachi could pose a problem though. He didn’t know how bad it was or what could’ve changed by the Fourth still being around. But he had a gut feeling that the massacre was inevitable unless he  _ forcibly _ interfered. Which he would, the Uchiha were going to survive this time and keep the village strong. He just had to rebuild their ties with the rest of the clans and the clan kids getting along would be a great start.

 

The Uchiha clan heir locked eyes with him in a questioning and considering sort of way. Naruto pretended not to notice that he was being analyzed. 

 

The silence was then broken after Itachi had finished with his scrutiny of the blond. “I’ll go tell Otou-san about our guests for you. Just hurry along to the living room, Sasuke.” His brother thanked him gratefully and then he was gone.

 

Sasuke motioned for them to follow him and they walked through the pristinely cleaned house until they reached the living room where you could see into the kitchen and dining room as well. Naruto saw the boy’s mother working on dinner and Sasuke went to greet her and left the rest of them just standing there.

 

“So, what are we gonna do?” Ino asked the rest of them. It would hopefully be something worth her time.

 

Kiba shrugged, “I don’t know… ninja training?” He suggested. The girls looked put off on the idea while the boys looked interested. Naruto decided that he could help out with this one.

 

“That’s a great idea Kiba… but let’s make it a little more interesting.” Naruto chuckled lowly and that seemed to get everybody’s attention.

 

Sasuke came back after a little while and noticed everyone smirking and asked, “Did you guys figure out what we’re gonna do?” He got creepy grins in return and they all huddled closer to one another.

 

Naruto put his arm around Sasuke’s shoulder and pulled him in the huddle, “Yeah, we just did actually. Now, here’s how it’s gonna go…”

 

Itachi had just walked into the room to see the children he left unattended split up into teams of three. Only he noticed that they seemed to be short one person and suddenly his hand was gripped by a blond kid and dragged over to stand with the kid and his brother. He was about to protest but Naruto - he remembered the kid's name - cut him off and declared that the teams were made and everyone dispersed.

 

Only he noticed them all going in very different directions on the ground and carrying suspicious items. The kids looked anything but innocent and he could only question as to what he had just been pulled into.

 

He just knows that this was that blond kid's idea. He hoped to kami it wasn’t anything too bad, but if the evil smirks were anything to go by well… he knew he was fucked.

* * *

 

Naruto thought that it was safe to assume the Uchiha hated their ‘ninja pranking’ which was the game he made up. It was fun and it helped train their ninja skills, plus it involves pranking people and giving them a hard time, which he was the undisputed King at. 

 

(He might not have started his pranking ways yet but now that he was in the Academy well… his parents had better be prepared because he was not going easy on them.)

 

All around a great game for his friends since they all had a mischievousness streak just waiting to be unleashed.

 

So basically he split the kids up into teams of three. He didn’t want to put them on their Rookie Teams since that could come back on him somehow if any of them remembered it. Mainly Shikamaru - cause he would look deeper into it - but any of them would be capable of asking questions he didn’t want to answer.

 

So he put Kiba, Ino, and Hinata on team one. Shikamaru, Sakura, and Choji on team two. Then he and Sasuke would be on team three. He forgot that Shino wasn’t there so he was going to just make do with Sasuke until Itachi walked back into the room. He couldn’t help but drag the other boy in.

 

After that, they all left to go and set up different pranks around the compound on various Uchiha. Such as sneaking into houses and setting up paint traps, putting hair dye in their shampoo, switching their toothpaste with wasabi, bugs in their beds... etc. They also pelted passerby ninja on the compound with balloons filled with various things such as water, paint, glue, and they all might’ve been mixed with glitter that took forever to get out but hey… All pretty tame things in Naruto’s expert opinion.

 

He was used to playing way worse after all.

 

The goal was to get as many houses as they could with nobody noticing - or catching - them and hit ninja along the way for extra points. The main house wasn’t included for obvious reasons. Everywhere and everyone else was fair game and each house was worth 5 points and each ninja was worth 10 and an extra 5 if you managed to get a headshot. 

 

Yeaaah, suffice to say that the Uchiha realized pretty quickly that they were under attack. By  _ children  _ no less. They couldn’t even do anything to stop them and none of the teams were caught which he counted as a major win.

 

Itachi and Sasuke were very against the idea of ‘attacking’ their clan at first but Naruto ultimately got his way when they realized he was going to do it with or without them. They ended actually participating in the game after the second house or so was finished. Their ideas for pranks were very creative and the blond was impressed and also slightly grossed out.

 

Their team also got quite a few ninjas… the most notable being Shisui. They spotted him and the teen was making his way towards them smiling obviously, not at all realizing the danger he was walking into. Naruto, Sasuke, and Itachi all had balloons ready behind their backs and waited for him to get closer. When he stopped in front of them ready to speak they rushed him. Itachi slammed his balloon right in Shisui’s face while Naruto got his stomach and Sasuke the back. 

 

The teen froze, obviously very confused and very wet. They chose that moment to laugh at his dumb shocked looking face which was covered in red paint with black glitter mixed in, orange paint on the front of his shirt and navy blue on his back. When the boy raised his hand to wipe the paint off his face they peeled themselves off the ground and ran. But they didn’t call the boy Shunshin no Shisui for nothing. They thought they were out of the game until the older boy smirked at them and said he wanted in on this party.

 

The three boys looked at one another and smirked back. They ran to the next house and then the next. Eventually, though it was time to go back to the main house and tally up all the points and to see who won. When the entered the house they saw everyone else's shoes already there so they hurried to the living room, Shisui still with them.

 

Now all the teams were gathered and trying to figure out who the winning one was.

 

Naruto stepped forward and crossed his arms proudly, “Our team got six houses and four ninjas with one headshot so a total of 75 points.” He gestured to Shisui before anybody could question his presence. “We added him to the game after our attack since he wanted in.”

 

To their credit, the kids just shrugged and Kiba said his team's score. “We got five houses and two ninjas so 45 points.” Naruto grinned and high fived the dog boy. He was so proud.

 

When silence followed Kiba, Teams’ Three and One looked at Team Two and waited for their score. 

 

Shikamaru sighed, “Five ninjas, two headshots, two houses. 70 points.” The other kids looked surprised but Naruto figured that Shikamaru and Sakura felt that going for ninja was better in the long run. Though he wondered how they accomplished that… 

 

Mikoto suddenly walked in and her eyes latched onto Shisui who was still covered in paint. But thankfully it had dried long ago and wasn’t dripping on the carpet. 

 

“Well, why don’t you children go and get cleaned up. I’ll take the girls and Itachi, please take care of the boys.” She said and led the girls down the hallway while Itachi walked in the opposite direction with them. Naruto could’ve sworn he heard Mikoto stifle a laugh when she caught sight of Shisui. Knowing her he guessed that she already heard about what happened today. What with her sons being involved and all.

 

As they were walking, Itachi up front with Shisui and him with Sasuke he bumped the raven with his shoulder. “Did you have fun?”

 

“Yeah, I actually did.” the raven said and seemed to get a little sad. Sasuke didn’t want this day to end. It’s been the most fun he’s had in years.

 

Naruto stopped and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Hey. We’ll hang out again so don’t frown like that Sasuke.”

 

“...Thanks, Naruto.” Sasuke said softly and brought one of his hands up to squeeze the blondes and then he shrugged it off altogether with a blush dusting his cheeks.

 

Naruto playfully rolled his eyes and shoved the boy a bit. “Don’t thank me Sasuke. We’re friends and friends hang out with each other, it’s normal.” the raven blushed even more cutely at being referred to as a friend which made the blond ruffle his hair.

 

He liked this innocent Sasuke quite a bit. He wanted to protect his innocence for a little while longer.

* * *

 

It was late evening now and all of them were sprawled out in the middle of the living room. They talked for a long time about nothing and everything. Just bonding with each other. He had mainly been observing them after their little game. Kiba, Hinata, and Ino actually stayed together for quite a bit. The dog boy even had gotten his hair done a little by the two girls. It was now done up in two tiny pigtails with garnet bows. Now Kiba and Hinata were doing Ino’s long hair.

 

Sakura, Shikamaru, and Choji were also having fun. What with Shikamaru just laying there lazily while Choji and Sakura painted his nails… navy blue. Where they got the polish was a mystery to him but he had a feeling Mikoto had left it in the open after hearing the pinkette sighing about how she wished she had some. But with the two painters laughing with each other and Shika almost smiling well...

 

Naruto was so happy that he could cry. He could really see all of them being much closer this time around and this time it wasn’t caused by a huge ass war where everyone eventually died. It was nice how they were going out of their usual groups of girls and boys and bonding as a whole. No barriers hindering them from each other. 

Unfortunately, he knew their parents would be there to pick them up soon.

 

Right after that thought he heard banging on the door and what sounded like an angry woman growling. Ah, probably Kiba’s lovely mother and judging by the dog boy’s face growing pale he was correct. He could also hear the other parents being let inside the house by Fugaku and walking towards them. 

 

He had very sharp hearing - probably sharper than an Inuzuka’s - because of the Kyuubi being inside of him. Also enhanced eyesight and sense of smell, just like a fox.

 

Tsume was the first parent to enter the room though she practically shoved everybody - Fugaku included - aside to do so. “You couldn’t tell your mother where you were going, Kiba?” She barked angrily and almost smacked him upside the head until she caught sight of his hair. She froze.

 

“...Sorry, Kaa-san” The boy forced out and was prepared to be smacked but looked up in surprise when it didn’t come. Kiba was about to ask if she was alright until she started laughing very hard and had to grab a couch for support. It was only then that he realized he still had his hair done up. He blushed.  _ Hard _ .

 

Naruto thought he looked cute and was trying to stifle his laughter while his friends had no such problem and they laughed and giggled outright. Kiba did not look happy.

 

Fugaku then stalked in and stood next to Mikoto who was right by the door to the room. Which broke up most of the laughing fit they’d fallen into. After him the next people to enter the room were Choji, Ino, and Shikamaru’s dads who were much calmer than Kiba’s mom. 

 

Inoichi just picked Ino up and chattered to her, asking all about her day and just being a doting father. Choza was telling Choji about dinner, and Shikaku was complaining about this being troublesome to his son who just grunted an agreement and flashed his father his nails. 

 

Shikaku blinked once, twice, and then he chuckled hard. Naruto thought he heard, “Nice nails, Shika- _ chan _ ,” come out of the Nara Head’s mouth before he doubled over in pain. Shikamaru next to him with a light blush and irritation in his eyes was enough of an answer to Naruto. 

 

Kami, his friends were entertaining.

 

Sakura’s dad walked in and he didn’t draw a lot of attention and Naruto just didn’t care enough to watch the scene. 

 

Instead, he focused on Hiashi going over and actually  _ hugging _ Hinata. Hugging her. Huh. Well, that’s definitely different, maybe his brother dying affected him a lot more than he thought? Or it might’ve been her almost kidnapping. 

 

Oh well, at least their relationship is apparently a lot better. Hinata’s even smiling and Hisashi is inquiring about how her day was and to let him know the next time she decides to hang out with friends since she worried him. He admitted that to her. Damn.

 

Then in came Kushina  _ and _ Minato who walked over to him, both with happy smiles on their faces. “Naru-chan,” the redhead cooed and scooped him up, “I heard about what you did with the Uchiha and don’t tell your father but…,” she leaned in and mock whispered, “I’m so proud that you have inherited  _ my _ amazing pranking skills.” She wiped away fake tears and Minato just shook his head fondly behind her. 

 

Naruto laughed and just said, “Of course I do Kaa-chan. I’m just like you after all!” Kushina just awed and praised him by saying what a good son he was while Minato now pouted in the background saying that he contributed his skills  _ too, _ which his mom pointedly ignored.

 

Fugaku walked towards them probably about to tell them to leave but Minato beat him to it. “Thanks for hosting all of our kids, Fugaku-san, Mikoto-san, we appreciate it.” The blond Hokage told the man with a genuine smile and all of the parents thanked him as well. Even Tsume, though hers was a lot ruder and more of a grunt. Fugaku looked surprised if the widening of his eyes was anything to go by.

 

Mikoto came to stand next to her husband and smiled sweetly at Minato, Kushina, and the rest of them. “It was no problem and the kids were… well behaved.” It sounded like she almost chuckled at that last part before composing herself.

 

Some of the parents looked like they understood the inside joke and were just as amused, and some of them didn’t such as Fugaku who just looked confused. Hm. Naruto guessed Mikoto didn’t tell Fukaku about their little game which he was thankful for. He needed the old man to see the coup as a bad idea and the hangouts were essential in that. Even though this couldn’t be kept from him that long.

 

Fugaku then nodded his head to agree with his wife. “Yes, they were. Now, you all should probably get home before it starts getting too dark out.”

 

And with that, they all left heading off in opposite directions towards their homes. 

And now Naruto was currently sitting on his dad’s shoulders with his mom walking beside them. “So Naruto, how’d you end up playing at the Uchiha Compound? They rarely invite one outsider inside and at my count,  _ seven _ kids were there.” Minato noticed that all but one were clan kids too but figured that it was a coincidence.

 

“Well, I asked Sasuke to hang out and then I asked a group of girls and then a group of boys and bam, we were all suddenly on our way to Sasuke’s.” His son finished telling, the high-pitched voice tripping with innocence even though the older blond felt it was more than that for some reason.

 

Minato had always felt that Naruto was special and the kid understood a lot more than he let on. He was also _exceedingly_ _easy_ to raise and never once cried or threw a tantrum. That was unheard of even for a genius child, but Minato knew that it wasn’t the fox’s doing. He kept telling himself that his son was just very advanced but still…

 

Sometimes his boy just gets this look on his face like he’s seen the world and knows how cruel and unfair it can be. He’s had that look at random times since he was just a  _ baby _ . Kushina can see it too and he thinks it’s why she coddles the boy so much, or she just loved him that much. Minato can never tell with his emotional wife.

 

And now with this… The village’s relationship with the Uchiha clan has been rocky ever since Madara happened and it had only gotten worse since the rumors that spread after the Nine-Tails attack on the village. ‘That the Uchiha Clan caused it.’ He knew it was caused by a rogue Uchiha but that doesn’t mean everyone should avoid  _ all _ of them and look at them with fear and hatred. He understood that that was just how people were but it didn’t make him feel any better about the deteriorating relationship.

 

He didn’t know what he was going to do about it but then his son just _happens_ to get invited and it just so _happens_ that he also invites a bunch of ‘random kids’ that are also coincidentally _all_ _clan heirs_ \- minus the one civilian girl. Yeah, Minato’s just not buying it this time, his son is most definitely up to something. He doesn’t know what that something is but he knows his own child and if he was doing this then it was probably for a good reason. 

 

He’s the Hokage though and he should be the one trying to fix this… But Naruto has already so obviously decided to do it on his own so maybe he could just help Naruto from the shadows?

 

Yeah, that’s what he’ll do.

* * *

 

_ -3 weeks later- _

 

After that first time, the gang routinely hung out every other day of the week. On Mondays it was automatically Sasuke’s house, on Wednesdays, it was one of the clan kids houses, then on Friday, it was usually Naruto’s house. 

 

If asked, the majority of the group will respond with:  _ I don’t know why it just happened like that. _ The rest would just shrug and not respond. Suffice to say, it was obviously the blond’s idea to have it like that which they all knew but only Shikamaru had a suspicion that it was deeper than the actual reasons he had given them.

 

He told Sasuke that his house just  _ had _ to be one of the main days because it was the first place and the first time they had all gotten together. Basically, he didn’t let the other boy say no. His house was Friday because his dad was off and offered that day to ‘watch’ them but he felt it was more than that. Then Wednesday was left to whoever would be able to host them. So far they’ve all been to Hinata, Kiba and Shino’s houses. 

 

Naruto had gotten the bug boy to join them right after the first time. Shino just wasn’t there for the original meeting but nobody really noticed and he just clicked with the rest of the Clan Kids. They all also seemed to realize the boy needed more attention and were happy to give it.

 

Naruto is actually pretty surprised that  _ none _ of them have missed a meetup day yet. Every other day without fail, all of the kids make sure to meet up after class and go to whoever’s house’s turn it was. He knew that they knew they didn’t need to show up all the time but they chose to do so. He couldn’t be happier about knowing all of them chose to go because they wanted to be around each other more. So, their relationships were already much better than in Naruto’s time.

 

Sakura and Ino it seems were saved from becoming fangirls too. They both treat Sasuke the same as the rest of the boys. They all have also dropped honorifics on each other’s names, everyone saying something like there didn’t need to be any formality between them since they were all the ‘bestest’ of friends. Most of them even had nicknames that everyone called them. With some even having multiple… poor Shikamaru.

 

**‘Yeah, like you need more friends.’** Kurama said grouchily with maybe a hint of longing.

 

‘Oh, shut up Kyuu,’ he gave the fox a mental slap and then said in a kinder tone, ‘They’ll be your friends too soon enough.’ The Kyuubi seemed to sputter at that and Naruto tuned him out.

 

He was going to tell his friends of his status soon enough. His Dad - strangely enough - made the same law as the Sandiame. No one was to speak of the Kyuubi still being around nor about his son’s status of being its container. So only the adults knew while the new generation did not. His father had told him that it was up to him to decide when to tell people.

 

Now back on track, the stupid fox ruined his train of thought and he was trying to figure out where he was… Hm. Oh right Danzo. He thought he heard Kurama call him scatterbrained but he brushed it off.

 

His fox summons - he lets a lot of them roam around and they collect things for him - had found out that Danzo was making suspicious moves against the Uchiha and that Orochimaru was also beginning to move. So, he was forced to finally deal with those two only he didn’t know how to go about it. Maybe Kyuu had an idea…

 

‘What do you think I should do?’ He questioned seriously.

 

The fox put a paw over his muzzle in what Naruto could only see as exasperation.  **‘Kit… just Therapy no Jutsu them in a closet or something.’**

 

Naruto rolled his eyes at the dumb idea. “Yeah, and how do you expect me to  _ get _ them in a closet?” Kurama just sighed. Yeah, that’s what the blond thought was stupid. Not the actual closet part.

 

**‘It doesn’t have to be a closet brat… listen it’s a simple plan, okay? You get yourself, Orochimaru, and Danzo in a locked room, ask them about their life or sob stories then you Therapy no Jutsu the evil right out of them. Understand?’**

 

Naruto blinked and once he had absorbed all of the information he nodded. Then smirked evilly.

 

‘Thanks, Kurama-chan! I know just how I’m going to get the three of us trapped together.’ Then the blond cut the connection, leaving the fox to just pace around in his mindscape.

 

Sage… I hope the kid knows what he’s doing. Oh who’s he kidding, he should be more worried about the old man and the snake. That smirk just never bodes well.

* * *

 

Minato walked into the Hokage Tower and headed straight for his office. He hated doing paperwork but he had shadow clones he could use to help him with that. Even though he couldn’t make  _ that _ many he could make more than the average Kage. But even then that wasn’t much since really only an Uzumaki had the chakra reserves to make it count on the field. Which to them a lot was a couple hundred while Minato could only make a solid ten at most and that was on his good days.

 

Just as the blond was about to walk past his closet he heard sniffling coming from inside.

 

Okay, that’s weird. 

 

He walked closer and tried to open the door only to find it locked. He tried again but it just wouldn’t budge. He didn’t understand until he saw a small seal right under the doorknob. It looked to be a simple seal yet quite unbreakable unless it was turned off from the outside, which Minato did. 

 

When he finally got the door open he was very shocked to see Danzo crying on his son’s shoulder and Orochimaru leaning on the other shoulder with a tissue dabbing at his teary eyes. When they spotted him Naruto looked majorly relieved. Danzo immediately got up and approached him with an apologetical smile and a guilty look in his eyes.

 

“H-Hokage-sama, I’m so sorry for all the t-trouble I have caused you and I just w-want you to know that I’ll always have your back from now on.” The man said in between the quieting sobs until he composed himself a bit. “You have a great son by the way and he’s such a sweet child.” Danzo praised.

 

Minato didn’t even get a chance to ask what the hell was wrong with him because the man suddenly said something about apologizing to his old-best friend Hiruzen and left. Then Orochimaru came out slowly seeming to still be in a daze, a few stray tears continued to run down his cheeks.

 

His son looked up at the snake sannin in concern. “You okay, ‘Rochi?” Naruto asked sweetly with big blue eyes filled with massive kindness, and concern.

 

Minato looked on as he saw the man practically burst into another round of tears and hug his son. “Oh, N-Naru-chan! Your concern for me is so endearing! It makes me want to turn over a new leaf in my life.” Orochimaru said with full seriousness as he once again dabbed at his eyes and this time he looked a lot better and he released Naruto and stepped up to Minato.

 

“Hokage-sama,” Minato watched as the craziest of the sannin actually dipped his head in full respect to him. “You did a good job with that brat. Now if you’ll excuse me I have labs to go shut down and people to help.” And just like that, he was gone out of the room.

 

Minato needed to sit down. Or he needed to get a very heavy alcoholic drink. Either would work for him but first, he needed to figure out what the fuck had just happened.

 

He got down to eye level with his son and locked eyes. “Naruto. What did you  _ do _ to them?”

 

“Hmmm well, somehow me, Danzo, and ‘Rochi got locked in the closet and then you came.” His son finished. 

 

Minato blinked. That couldn’t have been it.

 

“Uh huh and did anything else happen? Did you say anything?” 

 

“Um well I asked them about their lives and plans and then I just talked to them and that happened.” He pointed at the puddles of tears on the floor and in the closet.

 

Oh, kami. Naruto probably had  _ Therapy no Jutsu _ .

* * *

 

_ -Several weeks later- Sai: 6 and Shin: 9 _

 

After his talk with Orochimaru and Danzo, things changed. The snake sannin had shut down all of his laps and seemingly did actually turn over a new leaf. He was even helping in the official labs with cures for things and all that jazz.

 

Naruto was also quite pleased to hear from his fox summons that Danzo had disbanded ROOT and was working to rehabilitate all of his older agents and putting the younger ones up for adoption. Which he quickly released included that of a boy named Sai and his older brother Shin. He immediately asked his mother to please adopt them into the family. She asked where this had come from and he just brushed it off and she eventually forgot about her original question.

 

Instead, she tried to explain to him that they can’t just keep going around and picking up random strays off the street. To which Naruto used his big baby blues to give her ‘the look’ and made his eyes become glassy with unshed tears. Kushina caved right after that and he suddenly had new brothers… or cousins. Either way, there was now a Sai Uzumaki and a Shin Uzumaki in his family and they lived with them. 

 

(Their family was sure getting big… and just thinking about how the  jinchūriki were gonna be here soon was enough to make him almost pounce of the walls in excitement.)

 

Naruto dragged Sai into his group which was simply known to others as ‘The Clan Kids.’ He thought it was kind of funny that people used what he referred to them as in his head. And Sai was officially a member of his friend group. It was a little weird at first to suddenly have a new kid since they didn’t invite others into their little gang at all. They probably only accepted Sai because Naruto was the one who brought him in, and he was pretty sure the rest of the kids saw him as the unofficial leader since he brought them all together.

 

Regardless, the raven eventually clicked with them even if it had taken a few weeks and a lot of emotional talks.

 

With all of that done he could once again focus his full attention on getting the coup averted for good. Though he started to notice as the weeks passed by the guards would look at them with smiles and the Uchiha civilians would chat with them when they walked by. 

 

Then a few months and Naruto noticed that the main gate to the compound was opened and he saw more than just the clan milling about on the streets. He saw regular civilians and even some other clan people like the Nara resting in shady trees and a few Byakugan users chatting with Sharingan ones. Which wasn’t that wild seeing as how the Uchiha and Hyuga had a huge rivalry and yet here they were getting along and talking about their clan's Kekkei Genkai to one another.

 

Of course, it was all very basic stuff but still. Progress is what he saw and his plan was working. He also noticed his dad was helping by hosting weekly ‘meetings’ at the house between the Clan Heads on Fridays. Yeah, his dad and all the adults hung out while they all played with each other. Naruto couldn’t believe that the Ino-Shika-Cho trio was getting along with what he dubbed as the Inu-Hyuga-Chi trio. They were usually so difficult all the time but the two groups were getting along swimmingly.

 

Naruto could just remember the first Friday that he and The Clan Kids walked in on one of the meetings. They hadn’t known before since his dad usually had them over while they were in school. So, they saw Minato and Kushina on the loveseat while the two trios were seated on the two long couches right across from one another and Shino’s dad was seated in the armchair. 

 

The Clan Heads all had cards in their hands with a pile spread out on the coffee table with the deck beside it. The adults were sitting around a coffee table… playing cards. They stood shocked in the doorway as they realized that their parents were sitting around playing Go Fish with Shikamaru’s dad winning and some of them calling him out as a cheater. Which the Nara ignored and just continued to play.

 

That had just been the start of the weird Fridays that  _ everyone _ was now apart of since after they walked in and found out the adults stopped hiding it and decided that it was easier if they all just met up at the same time as their kids. Less effort that way in Shikaku’s humble opinion to which everyone agreed on, or at least that’s what Minato had told him.

 

Monday’s at the Uchiha’s had also changed after a while. The kids would come over, be joined by Itachi and Shisui to play and then afterward they’d all eat dinner with the main family. Which this tradition also carried over into both Wednesday - so they’d eat dinner at whose ever turn it was - and Friday which included the children and adults.

 

To Naruto, those several months flew by and he couldn’t believe that it was… that easy. It could’ve been that easy in his own timeline if others had just tried more with Sasuke’s clan. Naruto doing what he’d done had changed everything in just half a year. 

 

A bunch of children and a certain blond Hokage was all they had needed to avoid an entire Clan being massacred. Or one could say that removing Danzo could have done the same. Either way, the blond thanked Kami that he had been able to save his father the day he came back. He knew that Minato contributed just as much with his meetings as Naruto did with his play dates. In fact, he most likely wouldn’t have succeeded this quickly without him.

 

Now Naruto was lying on his bed getting ready to sleep after another long and eventful Friday filled with his family. Because that’s what the Rookie Nine of this time basically was and their respective parents being everybody else's weird Aunts and Uncles. He was almost asleep before he felt a mental prod and he woke up in his mindscape.

 

The fox stared up at him since Kurama apparently decided he wanted to be in his Chibi Form today.  **“So, what’s next then, kit?”**

 

Naruto seated himself on the soft grass and thought for a moment. “Well… I think it’s time that we start moving the Biju either into or near Konoha.”

 

The Kyuubi seemed to agree.  **“Hn. You’re almost seven so we have around five years to get everyone. Any plans on who’s going first?”** He asked even though the blond could tell that he already knew the answer.

 

“Gaara and Fu of course. Gaara’s father already wants him gone and they’ll probably think that Fu just ran away again or had gotten herself killed.”

 

**“Yeah, I figured as much. Those two will be the hardest to get since it’s still too soon to gift them the lovely memories of the war.”** The fox shook his head just thinking about it and Naruto decided to change the subject.

 

“Mmhm. The older ones can just start making plans to move now. So let’s see... Gaara’s covered, Matatabi and Yugito can just get a mission and ‘die’, Isobu and Yagura… he can just hand his hat off to Mei and go on a ‘journey’,” Naruto had three fingers down and stopped to think for a moment.

 

“Right. Then there was Son with Roshi and Han with Kokuo… they abandoned their village a long time ago so they can start heading to us now. Fu we also got covered, Bee will be fine since the Raikage never leaves alone anyways and won’t after he hears of the  jinchūriki disappearing. Saiken and Utakata-” Naruto blanched and quickly asked Kurama what happened to them.

 

He completely forgot about it what with his memories returning and the Uchiha to worry about. Kurama was supposed to pick him up after freeing Yagura.

 

The Kyuubi just chuckled a bit, “Calm down, kit. I figured you’d be a little too busy to think of a way to convince your mom to adopt  _ another _ kid into the clan…” Naruto grumbled something like ‘I don’t do it  _ that _ much.’ To which Kurama gave him a look that screamed liar.

 

“So, I left him on the outskirts of Konoha. The kids fine and Saiken reports to me with weekly updates and they are just waiting for us to pick them up.”

 

Naruto heaved a sigh of relief, “When should we do that?”

 

“Well, I think we should make it easier on Kushina and just do them all at once.” The fox grinned.

 

He nodded in agreement, “So, Gaara, Fu, Yugito and then Utakata before we spring the adoption…” he mumbled the last bit and seemed to be thinking of how to do it.

 

“Rigggght, and when should we get them?”

 

“With everything being mostly stable now should be the perfect time to pick them all up. I’m thinking we should bring Utakata to assist in getting the other kids. I don’t want the ten-year-old to be alone anymore.”

 

Kurama just nodded in acceptance, “Where are we hitting first?”

 

“...We can tell Matatabi to tell Yugito to meet us at Yugakure*, and then swing over to Taki to get Fu, head down to Suna and grab Gaara, and then head home.”

 

The fox was actually impressed with the thought out plan but played it off by mock sniffling and wiping away fake tears,  **“Ah, they grow up so fast.”** Kurama actually managed to sound choked up.

 

Naruto didn’t find it funny and just slapped him upside the head. “Oh, shut up already. Now go tell the others the plan you overgrown fuzzball.” And with that, he shoved the chibi fox out of their mindscape but not before he got the last words.

 

**‘Love you too, brat.’**

 

Naruto just shook his head, all the while wondering how he managed to love that stupid fox of his.

* * *

 

* _ Yugakure _ : The Land of Hot Water

So yes Utakata was in the forest this whole time. I'm not gonna lie I lowkey forgot about him in the last chapter so I tried to explain away why he hasn't shown up yet. 

 **AN:** I've been busy just hanging out with my friends and taking a break for a bit. But around my birthday I decided to revamp both of my stories since I wasn't happy with them. This is a lot better now in my opinion.

 


	7. Last Chapter

**Rating:** PG-13.

**Warnings:** Swearing.

**Word Count:** 3,420

**Pairings:** None.

**Disclaimer:** I sadly do not own Naruto nor any characters from it.

**AN:** I regret to inform you that  **this will be the final chapter** of  **_To Change Everything_ ** as I just can’t continue with this story. I tried to just keep it on hiatus for a while in hopes that I’d eventually get the urge to continue this but… it’s a bad story and I’d rather start from scratch and have a good foundation for a new one instead of forcing this. When I first started writing this I was extremely new and now that I’ve been reading FF for over a year I feel I can do better than this and my other story,  **_A Different Future_ ** . I sincerely apologize since I said I’d never abandon a fic but I just can’t do it.

 

_ /// _

 

“Are you sure, Mata?” Yugito asked the Biju with doubt as she was running to her destination.

 

Matatabi smiled reassuringly at her host and gave a slight head nod in confirmation. Her brother had just informed her that he and Naruto were heading their way and to meet them at Yugakure now that her kitten had the fake mission to die on. 

 

The blonde was surprised at how Bee was actually helpful with all this and that he seemed a bit different than before. She figured it was probably the memories he gained back and she knew it was a lot more than the mere week she had received if it even was that much. Bee just seemed a lot more willing to help her out rather than brushing her off like he used to do.

 

But there was no time to dwell on useless thoughts when she and Matatabi had a ‘mission’ to carry out and a Golden Fox to wait for. She still thought it was funny how Naruto chose that as his older persona so no one would know a six-year-old was out and about running all over the Five Great Nations. (Even if he was referred to by that title in his old life.)

 

It was going to be such a good day when the villages realized that all of their _precious_ jinchūriki were gone. Though it wasn’t likely they would look into it too much until seven out of eight have either ‘died’ or disappeared. That was when they would probably start telling their ‘allies’ and word would spread to every village that all of the jinchūriki at up and vanished.

 

Yugito really had to wonder what Naruto was planning and the endgame he was trying to reach. Still, whatever the man had in mind it was sure to be entertaining one way or another. She couldn’t help the giggle that escaped her when she thought of how the Kage would react to learning that all of their weapons did in fact have minds of their own.

 

She could hear Matatabi laughing right along with her.

 

_ /// _

 

Naruto and Kurama had gotten up extra early the morning after their little talk and the fox was already out and about in his human form. They were trying to figure out how to leave the village without people knowing that he… left the village.

 

“I can’t hold shadow clones for that long since it only takes one hit to dispel them… and I’m pretty clumsy.” He chuckled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head.

 

Kurama knew that as well as the kit acted like he had two left feet unless he was fighting or doing something important. But anyway, maybe they could make the clone stronger…

 

“Naruto, fistbump me.” The redhead commanded and the blond knew now it was better to ask questions later and did as he was asked.

 

When their fists connected he felt a potent surge of Kurama’s chakra flow into him but it was a lot heavier than usual. “Use that to make a better clone and mix your chakra with it as well.”

 

 A hand sign and poof later they were staring at a much stronger clone then the ones he was used to making. They both punched it one - held back but still - and the clone didn’t so much as twitch besides the getting hit part. Both the clone and counterpart turned their heads to question the fox.

 

“I just mixed a heavier mass of my chakra together and gave that to you,” he tilted his head thoughtfully then he broke out into a teasing smirk, “you could probably do it alone if you weren't so shit at chakra control, kit.” 

 

Both of them moved to protest but deflated before even speaking since they knew the beast was right. Naruto really should work on that more and he filed it away for later. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately but he had more important things to worry about. 

 

“Ready to head out?” Kurama asked the boy, giving his kid body a look.

 

Naruto rolled his eyes at the fox’s impatience but still made the change into his adult body with the long hair and the mask. He had a regular old Kitsune mask except for it being tinted yellow and the with stripes were black along with three whiskers on each cheek. He handed the one he had stolen for Kurama to the man and it was exactly like his except it was tinted black with red stripes. All in all with the masks on, height, and hair they probably looked like twins.

 

“Yeah, I’m ready,” he glanced back at his clone, “behave and remember to act just like me,” he ordered. The clone said something like, “I am you dumbass,” but he chose to ignore it.

 

Soon enough they were moving in the Leaf with the utmost stealth that one only acquired during S-Rank Mission and years of being on the run from a literal god. The only thing the villagers and ninja saw that day were streaks of red-black and orange-yellow flashes. That was the day the rumors were born of the Kitsune Twins and soon their names would forever be remembered by The Five Great Nations.

 

The Crimson Vulpe and The Golden Fox. Or something like that…

Naruto looked over his shoulder to see the gates of Konoha vanishing into the distance. Kurama was slightly ahead of him and they were moving lightning fast. This would be the first time he had left his new home in six years. He wasn’t scared since it would take a lot to scare him at this point but he would admit that he was uneasy.

 

He felt a bit better knowing he wasn’t alone though so at least the fox was useful in this instance.

 

“Yugito’s moving too?” Naruto suddenly asked to fill the silence.

Kurama glanced back, “I told Matatabi last night and that’s when they left. Since we move so fast I figured we should give them a head start.” The redhead thought ahead like that which made him different from Naruto. 

 

He nodded his head like it only just occurred to him and said, “Oh yeah! That makes sense... good thinking Kyuu.”

 

Kurama just rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the front and sped up a bit. He was now probably going the top speed of the Third Raikage and he wasn’t even breaking a sweat. Naruto was much the same beside him as they continued to leap from tree to tree with enough grace to make a seasoned ninja jealous.

 

“Ya know… I feel like we are forgetting something.” Kurama suddenly stopped jumping and crouched down so his knees were bent and his arms were resting on them laced together. 

 

Naruto stopped too and crossed his arms and tilted his head. What could they possibly forgetting… Their eyes widened comically and Kurama bent his head down and sighed.

 

“ **_Utakata_ ** ,” they said at once.

 

They couldn’t just _not_ take him and thankfully they weren’t that far so backtracking would be easy enough. The boy just better is ready when they get there which would be in a few minutes. Kurama probably told Saiken about them coming. 

 

Now that he thought about it this would be his first time meeting this timeline’s six-tailed jinchūriki and he was a little nervous. He hoped the kid would like him and since he was so young, maybe he’d be easier to bond with. When Naruto met him before he was twenty-something already and closed off to the world because of his status as one of them. The world isn’t kind to any jinchūriki and it’s not something he wished that all of them had in common…

 

“It’s just up ahead, kit.” The redhead spoke and gestured with his head to the break in the trees about fifty feet away.

 

Here we go…

 

They dropped down and he was face to face with a young raven-haired child with short hair and striking orange eyes. He basically looked the same except for the small height and fewer muscles.

 

Naruto awkwardly waved his hand and gave a shy grin, “Hey… I’m sure Saiken told you we were coming.”

 

“Yes, he did. I guess I’m… coming on the trip with you, Naruto-san?” He grimaced at the honorific but the shy smile on the kid's face and the light blush made up for it.

 

“Just Naruto, kid.” He told him nicely and the boy nodded.

 

Kurama broke in then, “Now that we are taking a brat along it will take days to get to Yugakura.” He huffed at how Matatabi and her brat were going to beat them there. His little sister would make fun of him for it he just knew it.

 

“Why don’t we just ride a couple of our fox summons and fly there?” 

 

“...That’s actually a helpful idea. Not that you have many of those.” A smack and then Naruto started the summoning jutsu.

 

A poof and then, “Kurama-sama, Naruto-sama, how may we be of assistance?” A silky female voice said.

 

The smoke cleared and out came three foxes. The first fox was a deep orangish-red and her eyes were a smokey gray and her legs were pitch black, she had seven tails and her name was Akane. The second fox had a golden coat and his eyes were a startling sky blue and his legs were a snowy white, he also had seven tails but the tips were white - the opposite of Akane - and his name was Kiro. The third and final fox had a blackish-blue coat and his eyes were hazel with gold flecks in them and he looked older, he also had eight tails unlike the others and his legs were a deep dark blue along with his tail tips and his name was Yozoro.

 

The three of them were some of their most powerful summonses and they all specialized in different elements with Akane’s being fire, Kiro’s being wind, and Yozoro’s being water which complimented all three of them and was one of the reasons Naruto chose them for the journey. Plus, all three of them had learned to use their foxfire to fly at around their fifth tail so they were pretty proficient at it and could go extremely fast. At least it beat running anyway.

 

Kurama stepped forward and brought his hand up to Akane’s muzzle and gave it a rub, “We need you three to haul us around The Five Great Nations… If you’re up for it that is.” Akane was too engrossed in getting scratchies to respond but her eyes lightened with mischief and fun at his words.

 

“We are always up for getting out of the mountains, even if we have to serve as pack animals for you guys,” Kiro said with a foxy grin and Naruto scratched behind both of his ears, making the fox’s leg bouncing up and down.

 

Utakata looked at the scene with awe and childlike wonder in his eyes. The foxes were bigger than any horse he had ever seen and one of them was staring right at him. They made eye contact and the fox steadily made its way towards him and he didn’t move a muscle.

  
  


Yozoro lowered his head a bit and pushed the boy back with his mouth, “Oh calm down child,” he said cooley then sat down in front of him, “it’s not like I’m going to eat you.”

 

The raven felt strangely relieved at the words of the beast and hesitantly reached his hand up to try and pet the fox but it was a bit too high for him. Yozoro noticed the child’s dilemma and lowered his head to allow the human to pet him for a bit, as long as it calmed the thing he was fine with it.

 

“Okay, Utakata I see you have met Yozoro,” Kurama laughed at the fox trying to hide his pleasure at being pet but pulled himself together to introduce the other two. “This is Akane and I’ll be riding with her while Naruto rides Kiro. So you will be riding Yo, got it?” Utakata donned a serious expression and nodded his head in acceptance.

 

“Well, that’s that then. If you would be so kind as to lay down for us Ki, Kan, Yo.” Naruto asked politely with his big blue eyes.

 

The three of them rolled their eyes in unison and Akane spoke, “Maybe if you would stop referring to us with such demeaning nicknames then maybe. You even have Kurama-sama doing it now Naruto-sama!” Even with her huffing at him she still did as he asked, as did the others.

 

They mounted the fox they were assigned and they stood once the humans were secured on their backs. Utakata was a bit shaky but Yozoro managed to settle him with one of his tails and he made sure one was wrapped around the boy to hold him in place. If it was difficult now it would be much harder when they were in the air.

 

“Mush! Onward to Yugakura!” Kurama chuckled at the blond’s enthusiasm while the fox’s just ignored him. 

 

They started up their fox fires - Akane’s being red, Kiro’s being gold, and Yozoro’s being blue - and got high enough up in the air so they weren’t easily seen and headed towards their destination.

 

Naruto glanced over at Utakata who was in the middle of them and he smiled slightly. One jinchūriki child down and three more to go. He just hoped Kushina would be willing to take in three more kids. Either way, he wanted them to stay with him at all times and hopefully, nobody would think it was strange for four ‘orphans’ to pop up at the same time as the jinchūriki’s disappearance.

 

As long as he had eight out of the nine jinchūriki in one place nothing would be able to stand against them or separate them. Not the Akatsuki and not the Big Five. He just hoped it wouldn’t come to that.

They had been in the air for a solid six hours and they were almost at Yugakure. Kurama was told by Matatabi that they were about two hours away still so they decided to stop as the foxes needed their rest for the next leg of the journey. Even though they probably could’ve still gone for another six hours it was good to give them halftime of sorts.

 

“There’s a small clearing over there that should work,” Naruto told Kiro who gestured with his head to the others and then they were zooming towards the ground at breakneck speeds and it soon turned into a race at who would get to the ground first. Naruto was even leaning in closer to Kiro to give him less air resistance and he could see Kurama and Utakata doing the same all while they were laughing like maniacs.

 

In the end, the first one to hit the ground was him and Kiro but he had a feeling the fox might’ve used a bit of the wind to help with that if the sly grin was anything to go by. They were followed by Yozoro and then Akane behind him.

 

Naruto hopped off, “ That was fun as hell! I thought for sure Yo was going to win but then we suddenly sped up.” He and Ki high fived with the fox using its paw. 

 

Kurama exchanged glances with the young jinchūriki and the other two foxes and Naruto could tell they were all thinking the same thing: Kiro definitely cheated.

 

Nonetheless, they let it go since it was all in good fun.

 

Utakata made sure to thank the fox for the ride and he gave the beast a few pats to the vulpine and hopped off of it as well. He was about to start setting up camp before Yozoro brought one of his tails down and ruffled his hair. He just laughed a bit and brushed the tail off. 

 

Naruto and Kurama were watching the scene from a bit away and they were glad Utakata opened up to them easily. It was probably because they weren’t sending him glares filled with hatred and disgust. Just that thought made him want to go to Kiri and burn the place to the ground. He could tell the redhead was thinking much the same but they held back.

 

“Is Yugito meeting us here or are we picking her up?” Naruto asked Kurama mostly to just break the tension that had settled over them.

 

“Met us here. That way we can all rest up for the next leg of our journey which isn’t all that long since Taki is pretty close to here.”

 

Naruto chuckled, “Yeah, but after that, we have to go to Suna which is never fun.”

 

“That’s because that place is so unbearably hot,” Kurama added grouchily.

 

“Oh don’t get your tail in such a twist, we’ll get there fast with the foxes helping us.” 

 

Kurama glared at him but it was ruined by the amusement the blond could see in his eyes. Their comfortable atmosphere was broken by Utakata telling them to get over here and help set up camp.

 

Yeah, the kid was definitely more relaxed now. Hopefully, Yugito would be that quick.

Kurama was startled awake by something heavy landing in the trees. He currently had his back resting on the tree and he was sitting up. He made no movement to suggest that he had woken up to the intruder in their camp. He also figured that at least the three foxes and Naruto had heard it as well.

 

One guess as to who the person was.

 

He heard the trees leaves russel above him and then the sound of feet coming into contact with the ground. He might as well give up the rouse of sleep and greet their new guest. He opened his eyes and was face to face with a young-looking Yugito Nii.

 

“Matatabi told me to come here and meet you guys here, Kyuubi, Naruto.” She acknowledged them with a slight head nod.

 

Kurama twitched, “Don’t call me by that name, brat. It’s Kurama.” Yugito just raised a thin eyebrow in response. Damn children.

 

Naruto chuckled at the exchange and walked over to the girl and brought her into a hug. “Yugito! It’s so good to finally meet you. Well in this timeline at least.” The girl tensed in the blond’s arm but he gave no indication of noticing and released the girl after a few moments.

 

“How did your ‘mission’ go?” Naruto patted her head and snickered.

 

Yugito slapped his hand away but offered him a smirk, “Perfect. Everyone will now think that the Two-Tails Jinchūriki is dead. What about him?” She asked with a gesture to Utakata who was woken up as well. Not all that surprising since he was from Kiri.

 

“Pretty sure Yagura is handling the cover story for that once he starts his ‘journey.’” Naruto wondered at how the turtle boy was going to spin that.

 

“Where are we going now that I’m here?”

 

Kurama answered before Naruto could, “We are going to rest for a little while longer and then start heading to Taki.”

 

Surprise flashed in the blonde’s eyes for a second before it was gone, “Mata… really wasn’t kidding when she said you were getting all of us, was she?”

 

“...No, she wasn’t.” The redhead replied.

 

Naruto also felt the need to add, “I don’t like the way the world treats us and I’ll be  _ damned _ if I’m going to let my family suffer.”

 

Both jinchūriki children were shocked at the words coming from the man’s mouth. Did he consider them family? When they’d only just met?

 

Yugito gazed into the Kyuubi hosts baby blues and saw nothing there but sincerity, warmth, and a hint of anger. She knew right there and then that she could trust him, could trust  _ them _ . She couldn’t wait to meet the rest of their family.’

 

Utakata was thinking much the same and they both couldn’t wait to start heading to Taki. They were going to meet another person that was just like them. Another child just waiting to be saved.

 

_**//** _

AN: Maybe ill come back to this someday and try to get to where I had planned out so far but it won’t be for a long time. I really am sorry...


End file.
